


puts a smile on your face 'cause you know it's ours

by thotsandfeelings



Series: still feels good [2]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluff, Smut, pre-Bartlet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:41:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 35,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26196562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thotsandfeelings/pseuds/thotsandfeelings
Summary: “You knew I’d be here,” he states rather than questions.“When I found your business card, I recognized your name.”
Relationships: Josh Lyman/Donna Moss
Series: still feels good [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1895503
Comments: 61
Kudos: 148





	1. Chapter 1

Days turn into weeks and Josh dives headfirst into work, trying not to think about the night in the hotel. The mark Donna had worked into his hip fades along with some of her signature on the note she’d written him. Josh has a habit of taking it out of his wallet everyday, re-reading her words and wishing more than anything she had left him a last name or number so he could find her. He hoped that maybe she had saved his contact information from the business card to call him, but it’s been radio silence.

He kinda went crazy that first week. He actually took her note to his contact at the FBI, hoping he could trace her by handwriting, and Mike had just looked at him pathetically, patting his shoulder, and telling him to get the hell out of his office. Every blonde woman Josh saw made his heart pound in his chest and he would run up to them, hoping that it was her. It never was and Josh realized he was losing his mind when a woman actually slapped him because he'd scared her so badly. 

So, he works. He goes to the office at 6am every day and doesn't leave until midnight. His assistant asked him if anything was wrong, but he made up some excuse about needing to fine tune the education section of Hoynes' stump speech for Nashua. They were heading up next weekend to officially kick off the campaign, so it was valid (enough) for her to drop it. Hoynes had made the announcement a couple months ago in Texas that he was running for president and they needed to hit the road and get up to New Hampshire.

Josh looks up from his desk when his assistant knocks on his door.

"Your train leaves in an hour. You better get going."

"Yeah, alright," he grumbles. He stands up and starts stuffing papers and manila folders into his backpack. "Is my speech-" 

"On the hard drive in the front pocket."

"Thanks," he says and rushes around her and out the door. He's on his way to Yale for a guest speaker spot. He had whined when his assistant had told him he was going what with the primary starting so soon after. She then reminded him that he promised the Dean he would speak when he saw her back in November, so it wasn't his assistant's fault that he's apparently a liar. Josh had just closed his eyes and sighed, accepting his fate and telling her to book his travel arrangements. He would've stayed with his parents who are only an hour outside New Haven, but they left for a 2 week trip to Europe, so he was on his own.

Josh walks down the Capitol steps and whistles for a taxi and hops in, telling the driver to take him to the train station. He watches DC go by and he lets his mind wander. He wonders where she is now, where 'home' is. His fist clenches a little in frustration. Why couldn't she have woken him up? A little nudge, just a 'hey, I had a good time. My name is Donnatella so and so, I gotta go' and he would've been satisfied. He shakes his head, pushing her to the back of his mind, and focuses on education again until the cabby pulls up in front of the station.

Josh pays the driver and he heads over to the coffee cart before boarding his train that leaves in 20 minutes. He tips the barista for his Americano and heads inside. He finds a corner seat in a mostly empty carriage and dumps some memos on the table, grabbing his highlighter and pen and getting back to work.

* * *

Josh finishes his speech to the last year law students to a rambunctious standing ovation. It's Saturday and the late April sunshine beats down on him as as he makes a big show of waving and bowing regally before walking off stage. A couple buddies from his Yale days snag him before any grad students can and they haul him to the diner where everyone was invited to go after the event for drinks and some lunch.

Josh is laughing at something his friend says when he hears the bell tinkle above the entrance to the restaurant. On instinct he looks over and his stomach swoops. A very blonde woman just walked in the diner and Josh shakes his head. He's fooled himself too many times before, there's absolutely no way it's her. But he watches the woman closely as she turns around and she lays eyes on him. His mouth falls open as he stares at her and she starts walking in his direction. He clears his throat when one of his friends accidentally bumps into him and she sidles up on the chair next to him.

“Joshua.”

“Donnatella,” he says reverently, his mouth opening and closing in amazement.

Donna smiles at him and situates herself more firmly on her seat. “That was a great speech,” she says.

“You were there?” he asks, his lips quirking in amusement now. “Are you stalking me or something?”

He watches as she uses her hands to stretch her shirt out a little and he grins when he recognizes the faded lettering on his old Yale Law shirt she stole that night from him. 

“I’m a last year law student here,” she says matter-of-factly and Josh’s grin only grows.

“You knew I’d be here,” he states rather than questions.

“When I found your business card, I recognized your name.”

“And you let me go crazy about not getting your number?”

Donna only chuckles at him and reaches out to take his hand in hers. She rubs it gently with her thumb and Josh’s heart picks up the pace beneath his ribs, his mind completely forgetting how crabby he'd been the past two months now that she was back in front of him.

“I thought I’d make you sweat a bit. I had to stay on your mind somehow.”

“You accomplished your mission very well, Donnatella, believe me.”

She smirks again. “You can just call me Donna, you know.”

“I like Donnatella,” he murmurs and he shifts his chair closer to hers, cradling her body a bit with his legs without actually touching her, and firmly closes them off to intruders. “You look good.”

She blushes a little, delighting Josh to no end that he has any kind of effect on her.

“So do you,” she says softly and she grabs his tie with her free hand, tugging on it playfully. Josh is forced to lean toward her and into her atmosphere. He licks his bottom lip and smiles when she mirrors his action subconsciously.

“Yale Law, huh?” he says, reminiscent of her question to him the night that they met.

Donna nods and looks at him through her lashes. “Legal history specialty,” she states and Josh can’t help it when he groans a little and falls into her shoulder.

“How do you keep getting hotter?” he mumbles into her neck and she shakes with laughter.

“It’s a gift,” she says as she runs a hand up his back before he pulls away again.

“What are you doin’ right now? Let’s get out of here.”

Donna just squeezes his hand. “I wish I could. I have to go meet my parents for a celebratory lunch.”

“What are we celebrating?” 

“I passed the bar early, so I’m here for the weekend for one last Yale hurrah and then off to New Hampshire. Bartlet for America is making camp up there and I convinced them to hire me to do some research after I passed the bar. I saw Dr. Bartlet at a conference once a few years ago and just fell in _love_ with her, so working with her will just be a plus.”

Josh freezes. “You’re really gonna work for the Bartlet for America campaign?” He can’t help the small snort that escapes him and she frowns.

“He’s a great man, Josh. You should vote for him.”

“Maybe if I wasn’t already a senior political advisor for Hoynes, who, by the way, has the primary sewn up nice and tight. You should come work with me instead.”

He gives her his best dimpled smile and she rolls her eyes, unfazed by his charm. “I think you’ll be singing a different tune soon enough. Leo McGarry is determined, it’d be in your best interest to not count him out quite yet.”

Donna squeezes his hand again and lets it drop. She stands up, but Josh puts his hands on her waist so she can’t get too far.

“You know Leo?”

“I’m a Democrat, Josh, of course I know who Leo McGarry is. How do you think I got a job with him? He’s an incredibly bright man.”

“Yeah, I know,” Josh replies. “He’s been friends with my parents for as long as I can remember and I had some business with him while he was Labor Secretary. How do we have mutual friends, but we’re just meeting now?”

She hums quietly and her fingers come up to play with one of the buttons on his shirt. “Maybe you weren’t supposed to meet me until now,” she murmurs and looks him in the eye. 

Josh’s mind spins a little as he looks deep into those blue eyes he hasn’t been able to stop dreaming about. He only met her for one night and they’re already so familiar to him. He can’t explain the pull he feels into her gravitational orbit or why it’s been so easy with her from the beginning. The only thing Josh knows for sure is he’s not letting her get away this time without her number. 

Without breaking eye contact, he slides one of his hands down into her back pocket and he grins when her eyebrow shoots up at his bravery. They’re still in the middle of a crowded diner full of possible future colleagues, but Josh doesn’t care. He slips her phone out and programs his name and number into it while she watches with a look of amusement. He calls his own number from it and pulls his phone out of his pocket so he can save her number. Once finished, he reaches back around to put her phone back in her pocket and gives her ass a little squeeze before standing up.

“I’m gonna call you later,” he says.

Donna fixes the knot at his throat, letting her fingers brush against his skin briefly before shrugging a shoulder nonchalantly.

“Fine. I should be done with lunch in a few hours. My parents have to fly home to Wisconsin later.”

Josh groans again. “You’re a midwestern farm girl?”

Donna grins. “I told you. It’s a gift. I’m very talented.”

Josh runs his tongue inside his bottom lip and looks her up and down for a second. Her blue jeans look like they’re painted on and she’s got the hem of his shirt twisted in a small knot on her waist. There’s a small strip of skin peeking out and Josh moves his hand so he can stroke it softly with his thumb. He looks up to her face again and notices the smattering of freckles across her nose and he leans in automatically, kissing the skin sweetly.

Donna‘s smile widens and she grabs onto his elbows as he pulls back.

“You’ll call me later?” she asks and runs her hands down his hips to hook a finger in his belt loop. He turns with her as she moves toward the door to leave.

“Yes, I will absolutely be calling you later.”

“Good,” she says, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “Bye, Josh.”

“Bye, Donnatella.”

She gives him one last playful tug and walks away from him. Josh watches as she walks out the door, her hair looking like sunshine itself when the midday light hits her. He smiles goofily to himself as she hops into a blue Jeep and drives away. He flips open his cell and dials.

“When you said ‘later’, I thought you meant a few hours from now, not a few seconds,” Donna laughs into his ear.

“I wanna see you tonight. Can I take you to dinner?”

“Why don’t you grab a pizza from this really good place on-”

“Union Street, I know,” he says. “You’re talkin’ to a New Haven veteran, Donnatella. Not some schmuck you met at a truck stop.”

“Jury’s still out on the schmuck part,” she mocks and Josh’s smile only grows. “Bring it to my place after I take my parents to the airport. I should be back home around 7ish. They like to be there extra early.”

“Ah, so your nerdiness runs in the family,” he grins.

“Yes, it does,” she says, unperturbed. “I live above the little bakery ‘Top of the Muffin To Ya’ on West Elm. It’s got a big Irish shamrock blinking above it, you can’t miss it.”

Josh chuckles. “Do you have any request for pizza toppings or can I get whatever I want?”

“Ham, mushrooms, and spinach.”

Josh blanches. “Tell me you’re kidding.”

“I’m definitely not kidding. It’s delicious.”

“I think you’re delusional.”

“Guess you’ll have to wait and find out,” she says and Josh’s breath hitches a little in his throat.

“Yeah, I guess I will,” he responds softly. They stay silent for a couple long seconds before she lets him know she’s at the restaurant where she’s meeting her parents.

“Okay. I’ll see you later.”

“Yes, you will,” she says. “Bye, Joshua.” 

* * *

“Hey, stranger,” Donna calls down to Josh from her open window above the little Irish bakery.

“Hey,” he says. “Ham, mushroom, and yes, spinach,” he cringes comically, “just like you ordered.” He lifts the pizza box a little and she smiles down at him.

“I’m about to change your life. Trust me,” she says and she disappears back into her apartment and hits the buzzer for him to come up.

“I’ll bet you are,” Josh mutters to himself and makes his way up the flight of stairs to her place. She’s waiting for him in her doorway, still wearing his pilfered tee, but she’s changed into some sleep shorts and thick, fuzzy red and white socks. She looks incredible.

Donna immediately grabs the pizza from him and spins around, plopping the box on her coffee table and walking toward the kitchen.

“Is beer okay?” she shouts over her shoulder. “I have wine or soda or water, too, if you want.”

“Beer’s good,” he calls back. Josh toes off his shoes and lines them up to her sneakers by the front door before turning around and taking in her apartment. It's small, but open. The living room has a bright orange couch against the wall with a hand knitted afghan laid on top of it. He walks over to her bookshelf and sees everything from law school text books to Jane Austen to Stephen King to biopics about female pioneers. He smiles when he sees a picture of her, riding a bike while sitting up straight and her arms spread wide like a bird. She's got some knick knacks spread along the shelves and Josh makes a mental note to ask her about them all one day. 

Donna walks back in from the kitchen with a bottle of Budweiser and some paper plates and napkins. She plops down on the couch and Josh follows, sitting close to her. She takes a sip of the beer and hands the bottle to him. Josh grins.

“I don’t get my own?”

“Do you want your own?” she counters, but he grabs the bottle without a word and takes a sip. He sets it down on the table as she lifts the pizza box and takes a slice. She scoots over to sit by the arm of the couch and Josh wants to protest, but she swings her feet up and puts them on his leg, wiggling her toes until they’re snug under his thigh.

He looks at her for a second. “You comfy?”

She just nods her head and takes a bite of pizza. “Very.”

Josh just smiles and reaches forward and grabs his own slice, eyeing the spinach skeptically. Donna rolls her eyes. “Just eat it, Josh. Have I ever steered you wrong?”

Josh looks at her from the corner of his eye. “This is technically our first date. You haven’t really steered me at all. I don’t even know your last name, you could be some psycho killer leading me to a trap right now.”

“Eat the pizza,” she says and takes another bite of her own. “And it’s Moss.”

”I thought it was spinach,” he says, looking horrified.

Donna laughs at him loudly. “My last name is Moss, you yutz.”

Josh smiles. “Donnatella Moss.”

“You’re the only one who uses my full name, you know. Unless you count my mother when she’s angry at me.”

“I like the way it rolls around in my mouth.”

“Dirty boy,” Donna murmurs and leans forward to grab the remote. She turns on CNN and Josh’s dimples grow deeper in his cheeks. A hot midwestern lawyer who watches CNN in her downtime from helping run presidential campaigns. Where has she been all his life?

“Where have you been all my life?”

Donna hums and turns back to face him. She picks up the beer bottle and takes a good swig while she shrugs a shoulder. “I’ve been right here.” 

Josh stares at her for a long moment before he tosses his unbitten pizza slice back into the box and shifts so he can haul her to him. She puts her hands on his shoulders to stop from accidentally banging into his head and her knees move to straddle him more solidly as Josh catches her lips with his own. She moans into his mouth a little and she feels his hand creep up into her shorts. He cups her ass and she grinds down on him.

“Aren’t you hungry?” she asks him when he leaves her lips to trail a line of fire down her jaw.

“Ravenous,” he murmurs and he nudges her up off her knees to brace against the wall behind the couch with her hands. Josh tugs her thighs to his face and slides her shorts and panties aside as he licks a stripe up her opening and she jerks against him.

“Mmm, Josh,” she hums and she puts a hand in his hair gently, the other still leaning against the wall.

Josh continues lapping at her firmly, making short, quick strokes to her clit. He sucks it into his mouth then and hums and Donna keens loudly above him, rising off his face a little, so he adjusts his hold. He elbows her leg wider out so she rests more firmly against him.

“Josh! Fuck, _fuck_ , ohhhhhhh, yes. There.” 

She whines when he sticks his tongue as deep as it’ll go inside her, licking upwards and running his nose across her swollen nub. She’s already so wet above him and Josh reaches up to squeeze her breast through her shirt and bra. Donna thrusts against his face and Josh moans into her, so turned on from the sounds she’s making and how good she tastes.

“Shit, shit, _ohhhhh_ , shit! Josh, baby-,” she stutters against him as he rolls his tongue up the full length of her. “ _Yes_ , yes, yes.”

Josh settles his attention on flicking her clit rapidly with his tongue. She’s moaning and writhing on top of him, tugging on his hair and holding his face tight against her as she swirls her hips on top of him.

“Josh, I’m gonna come, I’m gonna- oh, _shit_ ,” she whines when he sucks hard on her clit, his hands holding her ass tightly so she can’t get away. Donna erupts around him and he keeps his relentless pace against her throbbing nub. He rubs his chin up and down against her folds and she collapses in on herself a little as her stomach quivers, moaning his name loudly. He kisses her thighs as she slows down and he moves her panties and shorts back over and rubs her mound through them gently, helping her orgasm settle. She sighs and whimpers lightly, finally going lax after another swipe of his hand. He brings her back down to his lap and she kisses him lazily.

“Hi,” she murmurs against his lips. Josh smiles and brings a hand up to the back of her head to keep her close.

“How ya doin’?” he asks smugly and she laughs a little.

“I’m doin’ pretty good right now.”

He smirks and leans in to kiss her again, rolling his tongue against hers. “You’re fucking delicious,” he mutters and he wraps his arms around her tightly. He kisses down her neck and sucks lightly on her collarbone. Donna sighs happily, completely sated against him. He goes to take her (still his) shirt off when she sits up straight and pushes a little at his shoulders.

Josh pulls back with his brow furrowed in confusion when she swings off him and goes back to her earlier position with her back to the armrest. He watches, his mouth hanging open dumbly, as she grabs the beer again, shivering slightly as she rubs her thighs together, and takes another drink. She picks up another slice of pizza and smiles over at him.

“What?” she asks.

“We were just- you know what? Nothing,” he smiles back at her and grabs her feet, placing them in his lap, avoiding his raging hard-on in his pants. He has nothing but time tonight, he can wait. He reaches forward and grabs the beer and a slice of pizza.

He stops suddenly and looks at her. “Did you call me baby earlier?”

“Yeah,” she says distractedly as she watches the television screen.

“Okay.”

Donna turns to him and smiles and reaches for the beer in his hand, downing the rest of it.

“Alright,” he says, looking over his pizza slice suspiciously. It’s so _green_. “Moment of truth.”

Donna just shakes her head as she watches him finally take a bite. He chews thoughtfully and then his eyes widen a little. He looks over at her a little sheepishly and Donna grins.

“Okay,” he relents, “you have officially never steered me wrong.” 

She laughs as she leans forward to press a kiss to his cheek. “I told you.”

Josh takes another bite and settles further into the couch, keeping a hand on her leg as they eat in comfortable silence for a while. He breaks it when he yells at something a politico says about Hoynes on the TV and Donna chuckles at him.

“When I’m in the White House, Congress better watch out, is all I’m sayin’,” he says and she gives him a look.

“ _When_?”

“Donnatella, I already told you,” he mocks and he pats her leg a little. “Hoynes has the primary sewn up and I can't imagine the Republicans nominate anyone with a functioning brain cell. I’ll be in the West Wing this time next year.”

“You’re awfully cocky, Mr. Lyman.”

“Yes, I am,” he says, a sly grin sliding across his face.

Donna’s gaze falls to his lap and she makes a show of licking her lips. She looks back up at him and wiggles her toes and he rolls his eyes. He takes the hint, though, and grasps her fuzzy socked foot with both hands and massages the arch lightly.

“Mmmm,” she moans quietly and Josh’s dick twitches again. She sinks further into the couch and sighs. “Yes, you are.”

Josh works the tension out of her feet and watches the television in front of him, but Donna watches him. She lolls her head to the side a little lazily and exhales happily.

“What’s your story?” he asks suddenly, turning his head to look at her. “That night at the bar you said _‘ex-boyfriend’_. What happened?”

Donna sighs again and tucks a piece of hair behind her ear.

“There’s really not much to tell. He was a hot shot doctor wannabe and once he started his third year of residency, he started asking if I would drop out of school to work and pay bills. I said no, he got mad, and so I left.”

She shrugs and Josh keeps massaging her foot. “Why were you in DC that night though?”

“He had a conference at GW that Abbey happened to be speaking at, so I flew down with him. I took a couple tours of the city, too, trying to get my bearings. I’m moving there next year when I work in the White House,” she says, giving him a smug look and Josh just grins at her.

“Is that you telling me you’re gonna dump Bartlet and come with me to Hoynes?”

“That’s me telling you that _you_ are gonna dump Hoynes for Bartlet.”

Josh hums. “Guess we’ll find out in a few months, huh.”

“Oh, I think you’re a smart boy, Josh. I give it a couple weeks, tops,” she replies and he playfully tickles her toes for a second.

“You’re awful cocky, Ms. Moss,” he drawls and he runs a hand up her leg, his palm warm as it rests on her thigh.

“Yes, I am,” she says, repeating his line from earlier. “But I don’t wanna talk about work anymore, I wanna talk about you. Where are you from? What’s your favorite color? What do you do when you’re not campaigning for the wrong candidate?”

Josh just gives her a deadpan look for that last one and she grins. “I’m from Westport,” he says.

“Paul Newman lives there, you know,” Donna interrupts and Josh snorts.

“I know. My dad helped him with some legal issues a few years ago.”

Donna gasps. “You mean I’m only one person removed from Paul Newman?! He’s so dreamy, Josh,” she says, fluttering her eyelashes dramatically. “You should introduce me.”

“Yeah, I’ll get right on that.”

She huffs playfully and he runs his palm over her knee. “As I was saying, I’m from Westport. I went to Harvard and, as you know,” he says, reaching up to tug on her shirt, “I went to law school at Yale. I’ve been in DC ever since working for various Democrats.”

“You were in a frat, weren’t you,” Donna asks, smirking at him knowingly. “You just have the air of an Ivy League frat boy.”

“Hey,” Josh argues, “that fraternity got me multiple jobs in-”

“I’m sure your straight, white, male-ness didn’t hurt either,” Donna interjects and Josh pinches her thigh a little.

“My favorite color is _blue_ , by the way. New York Mets blue to be exact.”

“Oh, my dad’s going to hate you,” she says and Josh’s ears start to ring. He’s gonna meet her dad?

Donna doesn’t notice the mild freakout happening in Josh’s head as she’s turned back to the television when she hears the name _Bartlet_. She grabs the remote to turn up the volume a couple notches.

“Show the picture from the- _yes_ ,” she says victoriously as CNN flashes a picture of Jed Bartlet hosting some sort of function on his farm. “He’s incredibly pro-agriculture,” Donna says toward the TV, but she’s talking to Josh.

“His family practically created New Hampshire, Donnatella, I know the man’s pro-agriculture.” Josh chuckles at her and she turns to face him again when the show breaks for commercial.

Donna throws the remote back on the coffee table and shifts her legs so she’s more or less sitting on Josh’s lap. Her fingers run up his shoulder and into the hair behind his ear and Josh wraps an arm tightly around her waist so she’s balanced.

“What do you do for fun?” she murmurs, her fingers still threading in and out of his curly locks.

“I read briefing memos,” he answers and she laughs at him.

“And that’s fun for you?”

“Sure.”

“Josh,” she huffs, “this is basically our first date. This is where we have the awkward 20 questions session so we can get to know each other better. You have to answer honestly.”

“I’m being honest! I really don’t have much of a life outside of work. Especially not _now_ with a national campaign for presidency right around the corner.”

He shrugs a little and she looks at him for a moment. His hair is wild, like the day she met him in the bar, and he’s got some light bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. His eyes are bright though as he watches her get her fill of him. She nods her head slightly, satisfied for now, and resumes her fingers’ path through his hair. 

“Do you have any friends at least? Siblings?”

Josh freezes instantly and Donna’s eyes go wide at the change in atmosphere at her question. “You don’t have to tell me,” she says quickly. “We can save that question for later.”

“No,” he whispers and he shakes his head a little. “It’s okay.”

He exhales a little shakily. He never talks about Joanie. The thought normally makes his throat close up and his body prick with anxious sweat even after all this time, but not now. For some reason he can’t really explain, Josh trusts her.

“I have an older sister,” he says. “Joan. _Joanie_.” Donna smiles at him and his lips quirk involuntarily. “She died years ago when I was younger.”

“Josh,” Donna whispers. “I’m sorry.”

“She was babysitting me and our house caught on fire. I ran outside and I don’t know why she didn’t follow me, but…” he trails off.

Donna wraps her other arm around his shoulder and he lets her pull him into her arms for a moment. He turns his head into her neck and kisses her there softly before leaning back.

“It was a long time ago,” he says and his eyes drill into hers, begging her silently to change subjects. She takes the hint.

“What about your parents?” she asks, settling against the side of the couch. “You said your dad helps out hot movie stars for a living, what about your mom?”

Josh huffs out a laugh, thankful for the topic change. “Yeah, my dad’s a litigator. My mom was a teacher, but she’s retired now. Dad still gives a full 60 hour work week though.”

Donna smiles at that. “I have a feeling that runs in the family,” she says and she brings one hand up to rub her thumb under his eye gently.

They go like this for a while. Josh taking his turn to ask her questions, as well. He learns she has a brother and a sister, but Donna’s the baby of the family. She went to Wisconsin for undergrad and her Masters and Yale for law school. She had a black cat growing up named Salem (she was obsessed with the Salem Witch Trials as a kid and even wrote a dissertation on it for her Masters), and her first heartbreak was when he died. Josh also learns that she hates lobster and her last boyfriend was a Republican. 

“I could’ve guessed that myself,” Josh teases. “I mean, what Democrat would tell you to quit school at all let alone quit school and pay his bills.”

“Well, I was young and stupid when I met him. He was handsome, top of his class, and for the first year we were together, he was great. Then I got accepted at Yale and everything changed.”

“I was top of my class,” Josh says, puffing out his chest a bit. “760 verbal, baby. You’re lookin’ at a Fulbright scholar.”

Donna laughs again and rubs his cheek fondly with her palm. “Humble, too, I see.”

Josh just grins at her cheekily. “I’m just sayin’, I sound like exactly your type. Apart from the douchery that occurs when you register Republican.”

“Yes,” Donna murmurs, ”you are better than my old boyfriend.” Josh sits up, coming to attention at her words, and he smiles at her softly. “And I’m glad I left him.”

“If it’s any consolation,” he says, a smug grin gracing his features, “I’m glad he was an idiot, too. And I’m glad he chose that specific night to be the biggest dumbass he could ever become and push you away and into the bar that night.”

His dimples are out in full force now and Donna rolls her eyes. Josh reaches up to hold her hand still on his face with his, letting his fingers slip between hers and his face grows serious as he stares into her eyes. Her breath catches a little and he runs his hand down to squeeze her wrist.

“Do you feel it, too?” he whispers and Donna nods her head.

“It’s weird, right?” she asks and for the first time since he met her, she looks nervous.

“It’s weird that it’s not weird,” Josh amends. “I feel like I’ve known you my whole life. This,” he says, sliding his hand down to squeeze her waist, “isn’t a normal occurrence for me. I don’t meet women in bars and follow them to hotel rooms without knowing their name, but with you…” he trails off and swallows a little thickly. 

“This feels real to me,” he murmurs, stroking her soft skin with his thumb. “I hope that doesn’t freak you out.”

Donna squeezes his shoulder. “No, it doesn’t freak me out. At first I thought it might’ve been the tequila that made me so brave that night, but I think it’s just you.”

A slow smile starts to spread across Josh’s face and he leans in to kiss her softly. He means to keep it short and sweet, but she chases his lips as he leans away and she deepens it. A low moan escapes Josh as she runs her tongue along his bottom lip.

“This feels real to me, too,” she whispers and from that moment on, Josh knew he was in big trouble.

He’d spent a total of maybe 10 hours with this woman and he’s already completely addicted. Normally, he’s begging off by now and heading home to work some more, but he just kisses her again and she moves her leg over his to straddle him. Her hands are in his hair and he runs his fingers up and down her back underneath her shirt. He toys with the clasp of her bra strap and Donna grinds down on his lap making him groan loudly and she smiles against his lips.

She does it again and he grunts, his hips jerking against her. Donna gasps a little when his zipper hits her pelvis just right and Josh tugs on the hem of her shirt and she lifts her arms so he can take it off of her. She reaches back and undoes her bra, throwing it somewhere behind her on the floor. She stands up, much to Josh’s dismay, and sinks to her knees on the carpet in front of him on the couch. She reaches for his belt buckle and zipper and gets them undone enough to slip her hand into his boxers. Josh moans loudly when her hand wraps around his cock and she grins. She pulls him out of his boxers and has him slouch down just a little so he can see her more clearly.

“Joshua,” she murmurs and his eyes fly open to look at her. She still has one hand working its way slowly up and down the length of him and Josh hisses when her thumb toys against his head.

“Oh, fuck,” he moans as she leans forward to wrap her lips around him. Her tongue sneaks out to firmly lick his slit, and his hips jump a little involuntarily. “You don’t have to-”

Donna hums around him, effectively shutting him up, and Josh’s head falls back against the couch. She runs her hands over his pant-covered thighs and Josh moans again when she releases him and forces his pants further down his legs. Once satisfied with his exposure, she puts him back in her mouth and hollows her cheeks, sucking him for all she’s worth. She bobs up and down, taking him in to the hilt and Josh inhales sharply when she cups his balls. His hands slowly make their way into her soft hair, gathering it in one hand so it’s out of the way and he uses his other hand to rub her neck and shoulder in time with her movements. 

“Fuck,” he breathes when the fingers on his balls scratch a path to his inner thigh and back again. Her tongue swirls around him and she looks up at his face from under her lashes. Josh’s heart is pounding in his chest as he watches her, completely entranced, take him in and out of her mouth. The way her bright pink lips slide around his dick and her breasts swaying freely with the movement is the most erotic thing he’s ever seen in his life. 

“Shit, _shit_ , shiiiiit,” he groans as she quickens her pace. The hand in her hair flexes and she moans around him. “I’m gonna come,” he warns her, tugging on her a little. She releases him from her mouth and he thinks she’ll crawl up to him, but she grabs her breasts and traps his dick in between them instead.

Josh genuinely thinks he blacks out at the sight. She tugs on her nipples and moans a little as she moves her chest up and down, giving his cock the friction it craves.

“You’re so fucking hot,” he groans and his hips thrust without meaning to. He moves his palm up to cup her face and she turns her head a little and sucks his thumb into her mouth. His mouth falls open as her eyes bore into his and Josh has to close his when it becomes too much. He can feel his spine start to tingle and he opens his eyes as she lets his thumb go and leans back down, putting her hands on his thighs, to take his dick into her mouth again. He moans loudly as she sucks him relentlessly, bobbing up and down on him at a fast pace. Josh’s eyes roll into his head when she squeezes his balls again. 

“Donnatella, I’m gonna- _fuck_! I’m gonna come,” he says wildly as his hips start to spasm. Donna releases him from her mouth and pumps him firmly with her hand as he comes against her bare chest. Josh groans loudly as his orgasm takes over and Donna works him through it, letting up as his hips stutter to a stop. She leans over and grabs some napkins on the floor from earlier and wipes her chest off as she continues to pump him until he’s gone soft in her hand. Josh heaves air into his lungs, trying to catch his breath, and Donna pulls his pants and boxers the rest of the way down his legs and onto the floor. She climbs back onto his lap and kisses his jaw while his hands wrap around her upper arms. 

“Fuck,” he breathes and Donna giggles into his neck. He feels her suck on the skin behind his ear, grazing gently with her teeth, and Josh’s dick stirs under her, already getting turned on again. She smiles against him and makes her way back to his lips and he kisses her hard while rolling them to the side so she’s on her back.

Donna tugs on his shirt and he sits up so she can get it off of him and he kisses her again while he works her shorts and underwear down her legs. 

“Ohhh,” she breathes when he rubs her mound and he groans into her mouth when he feels how wet she is. Josh sticks a finger inside her and rubs slowly, letting his thumb work against her clit.

“Josh,” she pants, her hips rising to meet his hand, ”Condom.”

His cock is straining against her belly again, so he leans over the side of the couch and grabs his wallet. He untucks the condom he’d thrown in there earlier and sheathes himself quickly before settling into the cradle of her thighs again. Donna hitches her legs up his torso and moans as he slowly sinks into her.

“I forgot how good you feel,” she says and her hips thrust up to meet his, making him hiss.

Josh stays still for a long moment and she wiggles a little, getting in a more comfortable position, but doesn’t thrust against him. He looks down at her and smiles as she brushes some hair out of her face. She moves her hands to cup his cheeks and pulls him in for a soft kiss.

They stay that way, not moving except her lips against his, until Josh grabs one of her hands off his cheek and he laces their fingers together, bringing it up to rest above her head. She smiles lazily at him and clenches her walls around him. Her smile only grows when Josh growls and kisses her again.

“Minx,” he mutters and he finally moves his hips back, pulling almost all the way out before sinking back in. Josh takes his time, rolling his hips in smooth, even strokes against her and Donna starts to writhe a little, groaning and squeezing his hand. 

“Fuck,” she moans, “just like that.”

Josh rears up a little to change the angle so every time he thrusts into her, his pelvis drags across her clit. Donna gasps and lets go of his hand so she can wrap both of her arms around his shoulders.

“Oh, yeah, _yeah_ , right there.”

Josh quickens his pace as she starts to undulate her hips under his. He falls into her neck, sucking the skin there and tugs on her earlobe. Donna giggles breathlessly and he remembers she’s ticklish there, so he moves down to her chest and sucks a nipple into his mouth.

“Josh, I’m so close,” she whines, her face screwed up in pleasure. He moves a hand down her stomach and finds her clit.

“Do you wanna come,” he pants, sucking a mark into the skin above her breast.

“Please,” she cries as he pinches her clit and rolls it between his fingers. Donna’s hips buck against his and he works her clit with his fingers, rubbing and flicking and pinching it until her back arches and she clamps around him tightly.

She shouts his name as her orgasm washes over her and Josh isn’t far behind, thrusting a couple more times until his own release flows through him. Their hips lose the rhythm they had, now just rolling wildly against each other and Donna’s nails dig into Josh’s shoulder, but he can hardly feel it over the intense wave of gratification his body is experiencing right now.

She slows down after a moment, moaning lowly as he stutters above her before collapsing mostly on top of her. She wraps her arms and legs tightly around him, her core giving another clench and Josh groans into her neck. They stay that way for a minute, both breathing heavily as they come down from their high. Josh slips out of her gently and rolls to the side as best he can so he doesn’t completely crush her.

“We’re really good at that,” she pants and he chuckles against her. Donna lifts her hand and runs it through his hair and he grabs the blanket that somehow held onto the back of the couch and throws it over the both of them. He sits up quickly, so he can wrap the condom up in some napkins leftover from the pizza and he lays back down. She opens her legs a little wider so he’s laying in between them and Josh sighs happily when he’s situated pleasantly around her.

“When do you have to leave for New Hampshire,” he murmurs after a few minutes. 

“Early tomorrow afternoon. I’m gonna drive up and meet with Abbey and her staff for dinner at 5. What about you?” she asks, letting her fingers roam around his back underneath the knitted blanket.

“Mmmm,” he sighs, his eyes drooping heavily from his back to back orgasms and the soothing motion of her fingers. “Hoynes is going up next weekend. I’ll probably head up early on Thursday to help set up shop.”

“So, I’ll see you on Thursday then,” she says cockily and Josh snorts.

“How do I know you’re not a spy trying to get me to spill campaign tactics?”

Donna rolls her eyes even though he can’t see her face. “Josh, I told you earlier that I didn’t want to talk about work.”

“Yeah, and then you seduced me,” he counters and he squeezes her waist. “This could be part of your plan for sabotage.”

She pulls his hair a little and he grunts. “I don’t need to sabotage you, you’ll choose Bartlet for America soon enough.”

“You wanna bet?” he asks, turning his head so he can look up at her. Donna just raises an eyebrow.

“Stakes?”

Josh hums in thought for a second. “If you leave Bartlet first, I get my shirt back.”

He smiles as she huffs a little. “Fine,” she agrees begrudgingly. “But if you leave Hoynes first, anytime someone introduces themselves to you, you have to say ‘hi, I’m Josh Lyman. Donna Moss is way smarter than me’ for a week.”

His smile grows wider and he shakes his head a little before sticking his hand out.

“Deal.”

Donna grabs his hand at an awkward angle and shakes it once. “Deal.”

* * *

Donna wakes up the next morning in her bed with Josh's arm thrown over her waist. She had made them get up from the couch and take a (mostly innocent) shower before climbing into bed and tugging him under the covers, falling asleep instantly.

She rolls over to face him and she smiles when she finds him with his mouth open. She runs a finger over his cheek fondly, glad she doesn't have to sneak out before he wakes up this time. He twitches when she tugs a little on his earlobe, but he doesn't wake up. She runs her fingers down his neck and over his shoulder, shifting under the covers to reach his side. She sweeps her palm over his waist and stomach gently, making him twitch again. She grins and runs her hand further down his thigh and back up, stopping just before she reaches his hardening erection.

Josh's breath hitches a little as she lets her nails scratch along the inside of his thigh and his arm pulls her closer.

"Donna," he mumbles and she smirks. That's the first time her hasn't used her full name.

"Good morning," she murmurs and leans forward to kiss his cheek. 

"Morning," he groans and pulls her in to kiss her properly. He tastes like morning breath and vaguely like the pizza from last night, but she doesn't care. She rolls her tongue around his and bites on his bottom lip a little, pulling it toward her as she leans back. 

Josh runs his hand up her leg to hitch her knee over his hip and she gasps a little when he rubs against her.

"This is what I wanted to do that first morning, but I woke up alone," he says, throwing on a small pout. Donna licks her lip.

"Poor baby," she murmurs, trailing her fingers over his leg and wrapping them firmly around his hot length. Josh hisses and slams his eyes shut and Donna smiles. "Show me what I was missing."

Josh rolls her over on her back and starts kissing her neck. He reaches out for her hand and laces their fingers together while running his tongue behind her ear. Donna runs a foot up his calf, making him shiver, before locking her legs together behind his back. Josh continues kissing her neck and jaw, taking long minutes to focus on one spot before moving to the next. 

"No marks," she breathes when he sucks hard on her jaw. "I didn't pack any turtlenecks for this week."

Josh chuffs against her skin. "I'll mail you some."

"Josh," she whines when he nips at her skin again. She tugs at his hair with her free hand and pushes down so he's eye level with her chest instead. He lets her guide him to her breast and he kisses it gently. He looks up at her and flicks her sensitive nipple with his tongue and she grinds up into him. He feels her wet sex slide over his, both not bothering to put pajamas on last night after the shower, and he groans against her skin. He pulls her nipple with his teeth and she gasps, her grip tightening in his hair.

"Please," she whispers, trying to roll her hips into his again.

Josh ignores her and grabs her other hand in his. He puts both of their arms above her head and makes her grab onto her headboard. Donna continues writhing underneath him, but Josh shifts so his body isn't touching hers anymore and she whines loudly.

"Josh-"

He cuts her off with his lips and she moans against him, pulling on the bars in her headboard and arching her back, looking for friction.

"Trust me," he murmurs and he kisses a line down her throat and across her chest. He runs one hand up and massages her breast, gently scraping at her nipple with his pointer finger and she moans loudly, hips still continuing their rhythm. Josh doesn't speed up his movement, but he leans down to her other breast and slowly laves his tongue around her nipple. He nibbles on it lightly, giving just a little pressure and she moans his name, becoming wanton with need. 

He adds his thumb to her first breast, rolling and pinching her nipple while his mouth sucks on the other one, his tongue flicking at her rapidly.

"Josh," she cries. "Please. _Shit_!"

He speeds up, his fingers working fast, but light, over her nipple while his tongue plays with the other one. Donna is breathless, her hips undulating wildly as she holds onto her headboard, her body flying off the bed when he pinches down hard.

"Holy shit," she keens and Josh continues his ministrations as her orgasm topples over her.

He eases up a little as her grip on the headboard loosens and her body falls back down to the bed. She's breathing heavily and he leaves her nipple to kiss across her chest and back up her neck. She lets go of the bed and grabs the side of his face to haul him to her, kissing him fiercely. Josh traces around her breasts, letting his nails scratch over her gently, and she shivers, her stomach clenching.

Josh leaves her mouth after she's caught her breath and licks down her jaw to her collarbone. He nips at her breast again, blowing cool air over her hardened peak and she gasps, her chest rising to meet him. She murmurs his name as he slides his tongue down her stomach and swirls around her belly button. He kisses over to her hip bone and the comes back up to her mouth, running his tongue over her bottom lip.

Donna's leg are laying haphazardly on the mattress, one knee spread wide, and Josh runs his hand down her belly and to her sex. He rubs her folds with his knuckles and she moans again.

"Josh, I want you," she whines, her hips bucking against his hand.

"You have me," he murmurs and he slides a finger inside her. They both groan as her hips rise off the bed again and he leans down to kiss her, her hands moving to his cheeks to hold him in place. He adds another finger and strokes in and out of her, letting his thumb rub against her clit at every pass. Donna mewls and her thighs clench around his wrist. 

"I want you _inside_ me," she cries, but Josh keeps his slow motion, in and out, and Donna moans loudly when he swipes up inside her. 

"I am inside you," he murmurs. He shifts his wrist so the heel of his hand holds pressure on her clit while he starts to pound his fingers in and out of her. Donna's back arches and changes the angle, Josh hitting her g-spot with every push of his hand and Donna actually yells his name this time as her walls clamp around him tightly. He rubs down on her bundle of nerves and she sobs as another orgasm washes over her. Josh helps hold her down as best he can, her hips bucking wildly underneath him.

He kisses her again quickly and scoots down her body, removing his hand and replacing it with his mouth. He licks firmly at the beginning of her opening, holding her legs wide so he has better access.

"I _can't_ ," she moans. "Josh. I can't-" 

"I believe in you," he smirks and leans back in. Donna's eyes roll back into her head as he focuses his attention on one side of her opening. He rolls his tongue against her and her legs fall completely open for him. Josh runs a hand up her thigh and his thumb brushes the back of her knee. She squeaks and her hands fly down to grab at his hair. He smiles against her and moves over to focus on the other side, rolling his tongue in the same fashion.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God," she mumbles and her hips start thrusting against his face. Josh licks up her opening and sticks his tongue in deep, his nose brushing over her clit with each pass. Donna lets out a high pitched whine and pulls his face even closer into her. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, _yes_ , _yes_!"

Josh hums as he sucks her clit into his mouth and her body bows off the bed.

"You taste so good," he mumbles into her. "So sweet. Your pretty little clit is just begging for me." He pulls at it with his teeth and her legs clamp down hard on his head, so he grips her thighs tighter, spreading her open again. He throws one leg over his shoulder and stretches the other one out to scratch at the back of her knee again. She grunts out his name and he keeps up the motion of sucking and humming around her clit while scraping her sensitive skin behind her knee in time with his tongue.

"Look at me," he demands and Donna opens her eyes to look down at him. "I went crazy after that night. Kept dreaming about your lips wrapped around my cock in that hotel room." He reaches up to pinch her nipple and her foot presses hard on his ass. "My hand is nowhere _near_ good enough when I know what it feels like to sink into you."

Josh resumes his ministrations on her clit with his tongue and her mouth opens as she watches him. She hisses when he nips at her folds and she tugs on his hair, pulling him further into her and she starts riding his face. Josh breathes through his nose and moans into her when she comes again on his tongue. She's sopping wet and he laps her up, grinding into the mattress himself a little to help with his painful erection. 

The hand in his hair relaxes after a minute, but her chest is still heaving as she tries to catch her breath. Josh leans up on his knees between her legs and looks down at her. She's completely spread eagle across her bed, her hair is a tangled halo on the pillow and her skin is the most beautiful shade of red Josh has ever seen. He looks at her wet, pink sex and can't help himself as he rubs the skin around her clit gently. She jumps a little, but he makes sure to avoid any over-sensitive areas for the time being.

”You’re so wet for me,” he murmurs.

She hums and her hands move to cup her breasts. Josh is mesmerized as he continues to rub her mound gently. He scratches his pointer finger across her swollen nub once and she moans again, her fingers automatically pinching her nipples. Josh grins. He was going to ask her for a condom, but it can wait a little longer.

"Donnatella," he murmurs and she looks at him. Josh keeps rubbing against her clit softly, keeping eye contact, and she spreads her legs wider for him. He smiles and pinches it before laying his fingers flat and rubbing across her quickly. Donna gasps and her back arches again.

"Come for me again," he whispers and she pinches her nipples harder, rolling them in between her fingers and Josh's dick twitches painfully at the sight. His hand is a blur over her mound and Donna moans loudly as another smaller orgasm crashes over her, her chest shining with sweat.

“I could watch you come for hours.”

"Jooooosh," she moans and she grabs his hand to pull it away from her over-stimulated skin. He uses her slickness still on his hand to pump his cock.

"We need a condom," he says, his voice straining from arousal. She points to her nightstand, so he leans over and grabs one, sliding it over himself quickly. He grabs his dick and pats her clit with it a few times before running it between her folds. Donna mewls and reaches for him. She pulls him down and flips them over, taking Josh by surprise, and she glides him into her opening and sinks down.

Josh's head falls back onto the bed and a loud groan escapes him. His body quivers underneath her, agonizingly turned on. She rears up, but Josh holds her hips tightly, stilling her movements.

"Hold on," he pants. "Gimme a second."

Donna smiles and settles on top of him. She runs her hands up and down his chest and shoulders, marveling at how toned he it. She didn't really notice it before. He's got a subtle six-pack and his chest is nice and defined with a good layer of hair coating it. His arms and shoulders are what really catch her attention though. They're so strong as they hold onto her thighs and she rubs the soft skin of his forearms as he tries to get a handle on himself.

"You're like... really incredibly good looking," she says and Josh barks out a breathless laugh, shaking her with his movement.

Donna just keeps running her gaze over him, finding new things she wasn't paying attention to before. His dimples are flashing at her and his brown eyes are so deep she knows she could get lost in them. His hair is a mess, mostly because of her right now, but she thinks it's probably a regular occurrence for him. He's got a 5 o'clock shadow making its way onto his cheeks and she likes it. Her thighs clench involuntarily when she thinks about what he could do with a beard.

"Donna," he groans and his grip on her legs tighten. She can feel him throb inside her. "Have mercy."

She smiles again and runs her fingers down his chest. "What do you want, Joshua?" she asks, her voice dripping with arousal and her eyes burning into his. The man's already made her come more times than she can count in the last 12 hours, he can have whatever he wants.

"Slow," he murmurs and he nudges her waist. She rises up again, very slowly, and he lets her this time, his eyes closing as she makes her way back down. "Yeah," he breathes, "yeah, like that."

Donna keeps her achingly slow pace as she leans down to kiss him softly. Josh runs his hands up her back and holds onto her shoulders as she grinds on top of him. He moans into her mouth when she swirls her hips and clenches around him again.

"You're gonna kill me," he groans and she just smirks again before sitting up straight. She braces herself on his stomach and speeds up a little, dragging her clit across the happy trail of hair around his dick and she shivers at the feeling. Josh grabs her hands and holds her up as she starts to move in earnest above him. She lets out a whimper and squeezes his fingers when he meets her thrust with his hips, slipping inside her just that little bit deeper.

"Joshua," she hums and he moans loudly.

"God, I love the sound of my name coming out of your mouth."

She bites her lip and her eyes roll back a little as he starts to piston into her. Donna stills above him and lets him move under her. She clutches his hands and warmth starts to spread through her belly, another orgasm slowly growing inside her. 

"Fuck me, you feel so good," he pants and he lets go of one of her hands so he can rub on her clit again with his thumb. She grabs onto his forearm for balance and cries out as he strokes against her relentlessly.

"Are you close?" 

Donna just moans louder and Josh rolls his thumb in short circles over her nub. Her walls pulse around him, drawing him in even deeper as she falls apart. She whines his name and her hips jerk against his and Josh finally gives into her and lets his orgasm flow through him. He mumbles incoherently as he grips her waist tightly, his stomach clenching violently as he comes.

"Jesus Christ," Donna moans into his neck and Josh laughs again as their release runs its course.

" _That's_ what you were missing," he says, reaching around to cup her ass and hold her to him tightly.

Donna rolls off of him and on her back, both sweaty and completely sated as they lay there catching their breath.

"I honestly don't even think I can stand up right now without falling over," she says. Her legs are spread across him and the bed and if Josh had any energy left, he'd reach over and make her come again. His eyes catch the clock on her nightstand, though, and he sighs when he sees 10:08 flashing back at him. Their time together is up. 

"I have a train to catch back to Washington," he groans and she turns her head to look at the clock.

She turns back and rolls onto her side and snuggles up to him. "I should probably hit the road soon," she says softly and he moves to tuck her hair behind her ear. 

"I'm not sure how much free time I'll have when I get to Nashua," he replies. "But I really wanna take you out on a real date."

"Last night wasn't a real date?"

"I mean a date out in public, so people can wonder what the hell a girl like you is doing with an ugly mug like me."

She giggles a little and walks her fingers over his chest. "I'd like that."

"I'm gonna woo the pants off of you, Donnatella. You're not even gonna know what hit you."

She laughs and kisses his chest. "It didn't really take much to get my pants off originally, Josh. The bar is pretty low at this point."

He rolls his eyes, but grows serious. "I want you to know," he starts and he trails his fingers up and down her back. "That this isn't just sex. I was serious before when I said this is real to me."

He looks into her eyes, expecting her to pull away, but she just grins at him. "I know," she murmurs. "But the sex is _really_ good."

"Yeah, we definitely have no problems there," he agrees and she giggles his most favorite sound. "But I still plan on wooing you, with more than my sexual prowess. If that's okay," he adds as an afterthought.

Donna looks at him and sees nothing but truth in his eyes. Her heart expands in her chest as both of their smiles grow and something inside her clicks into place. They're on opposite sides (for now) and it might get messy, but she knows she wants to spend more time with him.

She pulls his face to hers and he's still smiling broadly as she kisses him, breathing in deep as he pulls her that much closer.

"Yeah," she murmurs against his lips. "That's okay with me.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Clandestine affairs are hot, Josh,” she says. “We’re politicians, it’s in our blood.”

Josh has been back in DC for three days, his mood dramatically improved since his weekend reconnecting with Donna. They’ve talked every night since they left each other on Sunday. Donna had made him give her his home phone number, saying she’d call him there instead so she knows he actually leaves the building. She’s taken no time at all to start controlling his life and Josh is happily willing to follow her anywhere.

He’s absolutely enamored with her. The best part of his day is when he finally gets to hear her voice. Sometimes he calls her at 10am just because he’s bored and other times he’ll call her to ask for a piece of legislation he can’t remember off the top of his head. She always answers him, or tells him she’ll call him back after she can research it even though she’s busy and they’re working for opposite campaigns. 

His phone rings, pulling his focus from the memo he’s been reading and he looks at her name flashing across the screen. 

“Donnatella,” he says, smiling widely. “What can I do for you?”

“Do you know anything about filibuster rules for the Senate?”

“I used to be Floor Director for the Senate, so, yeah, I know a little about their rules,” he teases and he hears her scoff.

“Josh! You mean I could’ve had 3 more hours of sleep last night instead of researching? You have to tell me these things!”

“You know, I could get fired for consorting with the enemy.”

“Clandestine affairs are hot, Josh,” she says. “We’re politicians, it’s in our blood.”

“Speaking of clandestine affairs, what’s your schedule like on Friday? I should be done by 7.”

“I have a late meeting until 7:30. Make a reservation for 8 so I can run to the hotel first and change.”

“Is Italian okay?”

“Italian’s perfect. I gotta go, I have meetings the rest of the day. Can you fax or email me the thing? I’ll call you tonight, okay? Bye.”

She hangs up before he can say anything and he just shakes his head and yells for his assistant to pull together the Senate filibuster guidelines so he can send them to Donna. He’s just about to leave the office for a meeting when someone calls his name. Josh turns around with his eyebrows raised.

“Mr. Secretary,” he says, sticking his hand out to shake the other man’s. “What are you doing here?”

Leo smiles at him. “I hope it’s alright I didn’t make an appointment. Can I have a minute? I wanna talk to you about something.”

“Sure,” Josh says easily, “I was just on my way out.”

He grabs his backpack and yells a goodbye and a reminder to email the Senate rules to him as he follows Leo out the door.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Secretary?”

“I’m not in the Cabinet anymore, Josh. Call me Leo.”

“Okay, Leo,” he smiles, “what’s up?”

“I want you to come up to Nashua, New Hampshire and hear Jed Bartlet speak.”

Josh huffs a little. “I’m actually headed up there tomorrow already to kick off Senator Hoynes’ campaign.”

Leo gives him a smile like he knows something Josh doesn’t. “Come to the Town Hall tomorrow night.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ve known you since you were a snot nosed kid running around Westport and it’s what sons do for old friends of their father’s.”

Josh deflates a little. “Mr. Secretary-”

“Leo.”

“ _Leo_ , Hoynes has it sewn up,” he says a little incredulously. 

Leo just gives him that same knowing smirk. “Nah, I don’t think he does,” he says and walks away, leaving Josh alone. Josh takes about 5 seconds to think before grabbing his cell and calling his assistant. 

“Hey, slight change of plans. I need a plane to New York in the morning and then up to Nashua.”

***

When Josh gets to New York the next morning, he cannot for the life of him remember the name of the law firm he’s looking for. 

“Something with a W,” he mutters to himself, thumbing through the phone book until he snaps his head up. “Whitney!”

***

“You couldn’t remember Gage Whitney?” Sam asks after Josh explains his sudden drop-in.

“I know.”

“Second biggest law firm in New York?”

“I know.”

“Did the Shearson deal-”

“Yeah, I know Gage Whitney, Sam. I’m just having a little brain problem recently,” Josh says, huffing out a laugh.

“What are you-”

“I met someone,” Josh says quickly and he huffs out another laugh while he runs a hand through his hair. “I met someone and she’s _insane,_ but I think she might be right.”

Sam cocks his head to the side. “You met an insane woman?”

“No, well- yes,” Josh says, fumbling over his words. “She’s insanely smart and beautiful and this time last week I truly thought I knew what I was doin’, but…”

“Josh, in English.”

“Come to Nashua this weekend with me.”

“You want me to quit and come work for Hoynes,” Sam states instead of questions, like he knew it was coming.

“Maybe Hoynes,” Josh says softly, his smile nervous.

“Josh,” Sam says after a beat, smiling back at him, “what are you doin’?”

“I don’t know,” Josh replies, “what are you doin’?”

“I’m protecting oil companies from litigation.”

“Yeah.”

Josh looks down at the ground and shrugs his backpack more firmly onto his shoulder as Sam looks at him.

“You met someone?” Sam asks and Josh’s grin goes a little goofy.

“Sam, she’s… I can’t even describe her.”

“You look happy,” Sam observes.

“I am,” Josh says, his grin growing even wider. “If I see the real thing in Nashua tonight, should I tell you about it?”

“You won’t have to.”

“Why?”

Sam grins. “You’ve got a terrible poker face.”

“Yeah,” Josh says and turns his head in the opposite direction for the airport. “I’ll see ya later.”

***

When Josh lands in Nashua, it’s about 6:30, so he heads over to the VFW. He sneaks into the back, sitting in a dark corner so no one sees him. He’s not sure if Donna’s coming, but he doesn’t want her to see him yet if she is. 

Josh watches as the room starts to fill up and he listens as Jed Bartlet begins the discussion. He talks about an array of topics ranging from education to social security to maple syrup, and Josh makes some notes, but mostly tunes out to read through a newspaper. There’s no real spark in the room, and he’s beginning to question his faith in Leo and Donna.

He’s barely listening anymore as some dairy farmer asks for an explanation on some bill that Bartlet didn’t help pass.

“Yeah, I screwed you,” Bartlet says and Josh’s head snaps up. “I screwed you, you got hosed.”

Josh watches as the Governor goes on a tangent about children living in poverty and how he didn’t want to make it harder for people to buy milk.

“I stopped some money flowing into your pocket. If that angers you, if you resent me, I completely respect that, but if you expect anything different from the President of the United States, I suggest you vote for someone else. Thanks very much. Hope you enjoyed the chicken.”

Josh stares, his jaw dropped a little, as he feels goosebumps rise on his arms and he finds himself clapping along with the rest of the people who attended. _That_ man. The unapologetic, brilliant Nobel prize winning Governor who knows _exactly_ what he stands for and is strong in his convictions is someone Josh can get behind. 

He stays in his dark corner, his mind racing as the locals file out of the VFW, and he sneaks out as the last straggler finally leaves, heading toward the hotel he’s staying at. He shoves his hand in his pocket and pulls his phone out, hitting his first speed dial.

“Hey, you. I was wondering when you’d call. Are you here?”

“Where are you right now?” Josh asks, smiling at the sound of Donna’s voice.

“I just got back to the hotel. I had a meeting with a couple volunteers while the Governor did his Town Hall. Where are you?”

Josh reaches the hotel, which was only a couple blocks from the venue, and takes the stairs two at a time until he’s on the second floor.

“Josh,” she says, growing exasperated, “where are- hold on, someone’s at the door.”

When she opens it, he’s standing there waiting for her and he watches as a small smile grows on her lips. 

“Hi,” he smirks, shutting his phone and sliding it back into his pocket. He reaches forward and grabs her hand in his, shaking it a little and her eyebrow raises in confusion. 

“I’m Josh Lyman and Donnatella Moss is _way_ smarter than me.”

***

Josh wakes up the next morning with a peacefully sleeping Donna in his arms and a schedule stuffed to the teeth with meetings and introductions with the (albeit little) Bartlet for America staff. He peaks around Donna’s shoulder to look at the clock, groaning internally when he sees that it’s time to actually wake up. He looks down at the woman laying across his chest and he gives himself a few precious moments to revel in how incredible his life is right now.

He’s got Donna, he’s joining a dark horse campaign for a man he’s never met in his life, but he feels pure serenity wash over him. Josh never makes life-changing decisions so quickly or easily, but ever since he met Donna in that bar, his center of gravity has been off, and he’s not gonna fight it. He’s here, he’s chosen his guy, and he might’ve possibly found the girl, and he’s content.

Donna stirs a little and Josh rubs his hands up her back. He watches as she slowly wakes up, her nose scrunching cutely and her brow furrowed as she fights against consciousness. When her eyes flutter open, he bites his lip so he doesn’t laugh at her. She groans loudly and stretches a little before burrowing back into him and Josh can’t stop the snort that escapes him this time.

“Donna.”

“No,” she mumbles into his neck.

“We have to get up.”

“No.”

Josh smiles and digs his finger into her side, making her twitch. “Yes.”

She sighs deeply and moves her hand to cover his mouth. “No.”

He laughs in earnest now and sticks his tongue out to lick her palm. She whines his name and wipes her hand on his shirt, still stubbornly refusing to accept the fact that she has to wake up.

“Donnatella,” he murmurs, “if you wake up now we’ll have time to fool around in the shower.”

He smirks when he literally feels her ears perk up and she moves her head off his chest and slides to the pillow so she can see him. 

The night before had been halted by Donna’s incessant bragging about winning the bet and how she couldn’t believe Josh had folded so easily. She then spent _two hours_ talking about the Governor, Dr. Bartlet, and Leo and someone named Toby who was going to get someone named CJ this week from California and by the time she rattled off the latest statistic of the percentage of female doctors in each state (yes, all 50) vs. the male doctors and a 6 point plan she was taking to Abbey regarding legislation to change it, it was past 1am and Josh could barely keep his eyes open long enough to pull her into the bed with him, falling asleep instantly.

He’s not so tired anymore.

Josh runs a finger down her cheek and under her chin, nudging her a little so he can lean down and kiss her. She sighs against his lips and tugs on his shirt.

“Donna,” he says again. “Shower.”

She pulls back from him abruptly and swings her legs over the side of the bed, immediately stripping off her clothes. Josh sits up, watching her amusedly as she kicks her underwear near the vicinity of her suitcase. She turns around once she gets to the bathroom to look at him.

“Come on, lazy,” she smirks. “It’s time to get up.”

***

“Do you think we could get Illinois in play this early?” Donna asks, turning toward the shower spray so Josh can work the shampoo through her hair.

“Well for one, the election is still 18 months out, everything is still in play. And two, I haven’t even met Jed Bartlet personally yet, or told Leo I’m on board, Donna,” he says, scrubbing at her scalp and she hums. “I have no idea what they’re planning.”

He turns her back around and helps her rinse out the shampoo before reaching for the wash cloth he’d left on the sink outside the shower. 

“Yeah, but, you know more about political trends than me. How heavy would they be leaning Hoynes?” she says, still talking as Josh gets the cloth wet and pours some soap onto it, lathering it between his hands before running it across her chest and neck. Donna twitches a little when he tweaks her nipple, the cloth adding a different kind of friction, and he grins before kissing her.

“Forget about the campaign for the next 20 minutes,” he murmurs against her lips and he trails the wash cloth further down her body. He covers her skin with the soft smelling soap, taking extra care to run the cloth over her ass and between her cheeks. She inhales sharply when he swipes at her opening from behind, but he brings the cloth back to her stomach and up her arms.

He squats in front of her then and nudges her foot, so she puts a hand on his shoulder for balance as he scrubs her toes and runs up her leg and thigh. He does the same to the other leg, but this time he places her foot on the edge of the raised tub after he washes it. Once done, he drops the wash cloth with an unceremonious plop against the ceramic and leans forward to suck her clit into his mouth without preamble.

Donna gasps and she brings both hands to rest on his shoulders now, her stomach quivering. Josh reaches behind her and grabs her ass roughly to bring her closer to him. He works his tongue into her, licking wide and deep strokes up her opening and he feels her fingernails dig into his skin.

“Josh,” she whimpers and she moves her knee more outward so he has better access. Josh continues to caress her ass, grabbing big handfuls of her skin as he works at her folds. Donna’s hands move to his hair, holding him tight so he doesn’t move from his position on her clit.

“Fuck, yeah right there, right there,” she moans and Josh picks up the pace. She grinds against him with every flick of his tongue, her moans echoing throughout the steamed up bathroom and Josh moves one of his hands between the cleft of her ass. His pinky swirls over her puckered opening and Donna yelps as he slides his finger in just the smallest amount. “Josh, I’m gonna-”

He moves his finger in time with his tongue, applying the barest hint of pressure, testing her reaction, and her moans grow louder and louder as her eyes rolls back into her head. She squeaks and her breath catches as he hollows his cheek, sucking her clit hard between his lips and he presses into her ass just a tiny bit further. Her stomach convulses violently and her knees buckle as she climaxes around him. He grabs onto her thigh with his free hand, holding her steady as he continues his ministrations and she rides his face uncontrollably, her moans ricocheting loudly around the bathroom. He looks up to see her face contorted in pleasure and his cock throbs. She shudders and lets out a long exhale after a full minute, her orgasm finally starting to let up and Josh takes his hand away, still kissing her clit rhythmically as her body rocks against him. She pushes him away after another minute and he stands up and pulls her into him, the shower raining down on their shoulders.

“Oh, my God,” she moans, grabbing his cheeks and kissing him sloppily. Josh smiles against her and runs his slippery hands across her skin. 

“Yeah?”

“I mean, oh my _God_.”

Josh’s smile grows and her knees buckle again.

“Easy,” he murmurs against her, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist so she doesn’t fall. He reaches a hand out behind her to turn off the tap and then wipes some water droplets off her forehead.

She frowns a little and looks down at his dick, pink with arousal and straining toward her.

“What about you?”

“No time,” he says, pulling back the shower curtain to grab the fluffy towels on the rack. He drapes one over her head and rubs her hair.

“Josh!” she yells, throwing her hands up blindly to get him off her.

He moves to wrap it around her shoulders instead and chuckles as she huffs indignantly and moves the tangled mess of hair out of her face.

Her eyes narrow when she sees him laughing at her and she reaches out, grabbing his dick firmly in her hand and squeezes. Josh’s hands fall away from her and he squeaks her name.

“Are you done?” she asks, cocking her head to the side.

Josh nods his head quickly and lets out a breath when she releases him to pat the rest of her body dry.

“You’re lucky I’m still in a semi-state of bliss right now or I’d make you suffer,” she grumbles.

Josh smirks. ”Don’t threaten me with a good time.”

Donna walks out of the bathroom, shivering as the cool air in the bedroom hits her and she goes for her suitcase to grab some clothes. The towel drops from her body and Josh stares appreciatively as she wiggles into her underwear, her breasts swaying freely with the movement. She steps into a pair of jeans and clasps her bra strap behind her before throwing on a dark blue t-shirt that has some weird dragon cartoon on the back of it before going over to his own suitcase and rifling through it. She apparently finds what she’s looking for as she exclaims a quiet “aha!” and he watches as she pulls out his Harvard crew neck.

She pulls it over her damp hair and makes her way back toward him with her makeup bag in hand, pinching his cheek sweetly as she walks by.

“You need to get dressed,” she says and shoves him out of the bathroom.

“What the hell just happened?” he asks, watching her towel dry her hair some more before running a wide tooth comb through it.

“What?” she says distractedly as she rubs some moisturizer onto her face.

“That’s mine.”

“You weren’t gonna wear it today and my sweatshirt is dirty.”

“How do you know I wasn’t gonna wear it today?”

“Because you’re meeting with Leo and the Governor, not holing up in the freezing cold library like me. You have to look presentable.”

Josh grumbles something under his breath about thievery and she looks over at him through the mirror. “What was that?”

“Nothing,” he says, leaning over to kiss her cheek before heading out to the bedroom.

Once he’s dressed in his suit and his tie is hanging loose around his neck, Josh sits down on the bed and throws his watch over his wrist, doing the clasp before pulling on his shoes.

“You’ll be done by 7 right?” he calls to her and she walks out of the bathroom.

“Yeah, probably before then if they have the books I need. Abbey rescheduled the late meeting for Monday anyway, so it’ll be fine.” 

“Our reservation’s at 8,” Josh reminds her, sitting up straight and watching her flit around the room, throwing random objects and folders into her bag. “I’m gonna pick you up from here.”

Donna smiles over at him. “Such a gentleman.”

“Just wait, Donnatella, I’m pulling out all the stops. You’re gonna be a puddle of goo by the time I’m done wooing you.”

Her smile grows wider and she sets her bag down and walks over to stand between his knees. She grabs the tie around his neck and tightens it for him. She attempts to tame his wild hair, but has little success, so she moves to cup his face.

“After that little performance this morning, I’m not sure how much more woo I can handle.”

Josh grins at her cheekily, his dimples out in full force. “I am quite something.”

She puts her tongue in her cheek, but pulls him in anyway to give him a kiss. He deepens it after a moment, running his tongue along her bottom lip and her thighs clench involuntarily, making his cocky grin get even bigger.

Donna pulls back and her eyes smolder into his. “We’re gonna be late,” she breathes and before Josh can kiss her again, she's grabbing her bag and walking out the door.

“See ya tonight!”

***

The day goes by quickly. As soon as Josh had walked into the makeshift HQ, Leo immediately pulls him into a room that’s not much bigger than a walk-in closet to meet Josiah Bartlet. All of Josh’s doubts fade away the longer he talks to the two men. The Governor was sharp as a whip, he was ornery in a good way, and his oratory skills were off the charts. Josh wanted to give him a standing ovation after he was done giving a tangent on combating homelessness. 

Josh tells Leo about Sam and he agrees that he’ll mesh well with Toby.

“Who’s this Toby?” Josh asks. “Donna mentioned him, too.”

“Toby Ziegler. He’s writing some speeches for us. He’s smart, Josh. You’ll like him,” Leo says, but the Governor snorts. 

“You don’t like him, sir?” Josh says, amused. 

“He doesn’t understand him yet,” Leo says. 

Bartlet rolls his eyes. “How do you know Donna?” he asks Josh.

Josh smiles automatically. “That’s also what I wanted to talk to you about. We’re seeing each other. We met a couple months ago and lost touch, but reconnected again at Yale last weekend while I was doing their “Where Are They Now” series. I just wanted to give full disclosure.”

Leo nods, but Bartlet goes stern. “Donna’s a bright young woman. She’s the only person who’s ever beaten me at Scrabble and she’s important to Abbey and I. She doesn’t need distractions.”

Josh smirks again. “All due respect, sir, but _she’s_ the distracting one. And, you know, she stole me away from Hoynes. I would never uproot my entire life for someone who I didn’t believe in or isn’t important to me,” Josh says pointedly.

The Governor gives him a long stare, but seems to be satisfied with Josh’s answer. Leo tells him he’s gotta go, there’s a meeting with some donors, so Josh follows them out and shakes the Governor’s hand.

“Welcome to the madness, Josh.” 

He hops in a car and drives away, leaving Leo and Josh on the sidewalk. There’s no time to waste, however, as Leo drags Josh over to a BBQ fundraiser for some agriculture lobbyists. By the time they’re done schmoozing the old money New Hampshire locals, it’s already 7, so Josh books it to his hotel room and takes a speed shower and shaves. He grabs some clean pants and a button up shirt. He leaves the tie, but snatches his suit jacket, and puts his wallet in his pocket. He picks up the bouquet of flowers he’d had sent to his room earlier and heads out the door, turning right and walking the 50 feet to Donna’s door. 

He knocks and hears her yell “it’s open!” and he groans, deflating a little. He knocks again.

“Donna,” he whines. “You have to come open the door. And why is it unlocked in the first place? You couldn’t know it was me.”

He hears a faint giggle and rolls his eyes. She shuffles around inside and when she finally opens the door, his jaw drops a little.

“I’m tuned to you,” she says, smirking at the dumbstruck look on his face.

She’s wearing a long sleeve deep blue dress with a scoop neckline, a diamond necklace is hanging around her neck, and the material of the dress flows around her like water when she moves. Her hair is down and her lips are deep red with lipstick and Josh can’t help it when he leans in and kisses her softly. 

“Hi,” he whispers when he pulls away. 

“Hi.” 

“You look amazing,” he says, looking her up and down. 

Donna smirks. “I know.”

Josh grins and takes his hand from behind his back, producing the bouquet of flowers. “These are for you.”

“Josh,” she says, melting a little, “they’re beautiful. Thank you.” 

She kisses his cheek sweetly and grabs them out of his hand. She fills the ice bucket with some water and places them in there, centering it on the table before turning back to him. 

“You ready to go?” Josh asks, checking his watch. “We have some time if you wanna walk.”

“Okay,” she agrees, grabbing her purse and following him out the door. 

They stroll leisurely to the restaurant which is just a few blocks from the hotel. Josh holds her hand and listens as she prattles on about something her brother did back home. 

“I mean, honestly, you’d think he was 5 years old with the way he acts. He put my parents through the wringer in high school. I think by the time he graduated, he had at least 10 run-ins with the law and that’s nothing compared with the terror he caused in college. He’s actually _banned_ from Lake Eerie for life.” 

Josh chuckles. “What about your sister?”

“Beth’s the oldest,” she says and he picks up on the way her voice changes when talking about each of her siblings. “She was valedictorian and has a Masters in Media Relations. She’s my best friend. I always wanted to be her when I grew up.”

Josh smiles and squeezes her hand. He knows what it’s like to idolize older sisters. 

“But _I_ was the golden child,” she says, puffing her chest a little. 

“Why do I find that incredibly easy to believe,” he teases and he nudges her hip with his. 

“Hey,” she says, her voice growing indignant, “I wasn’t a prude or anything if that’s what you’re implying.”

“Donnatella, I think you are a great many things, but a prude has never been one of them.”

He throws a leer over in her direction and she smirks before shrugging. “I just never liked to party. I’d rather stay home and read or study.”

“See, now _nerd_ is definitely on the list.” 

Donna huffs and Josh doesn’t hide the big smile on his face. He lets go of her hand for a second and skips ahead of her a little, as they’ve reached the restaurant, to open the door for her.

“After you.”

“Is opening the door for me part of the woo?” she teases. “‘Cause I gotta tell ya, Josh, your bar for swoon-worthy notions is pretty low.”

Josh rolls his eyes. “This is not woo, this is just me being a man whose mother yelled at him a thousand times to open the door for her. It’s Pavlovian at this point.”

Donna just smirks and they walk inside.

***

They stuff themselves full of pasta and garlic bread while they share stories and secrets across the table. He watches her intently and learns that she’s fine off two glasses of wine, but if she has a third her face becomes flushed and she gets giggly. He learns more about her family; that her mom works as a realtor and her dad is in construction. 

“Remind me to show you some pictures of the houses he’s built, Josh, they’ll blow your mind.”

Josh talks about his parents, too, and when he tells her his dad was diagnosed with cancer about a year ago, her eyes go wide and she reaches a hand across the table to hold his. 

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” she asks.

Josh shrugs. “He’s doing okay. He just had surgery about a month ago and the doctors are pretty confident that they got it all this time. He and my mom went to Europe for a couple weeks afterwards and every time I’ve talked to him since, he says he’s okay and to stop bothering him,” he chuckles. 

Donna squeezes his fingers before returning to her entree. “I’d like to meet him,” she says and Josh’s heart starts thumping heavily against his ribs. “Both your parents. I think I’d really like them.”

Josh stares at her as she leans over with her fork and twirls some of his own pasta around it before putting it in her mouth. She smiles at him and Josh falls a little bit more in love with her. 

“He’d love you,” he murmurs. “And my mom will be happy there’s someone else besides her to boss me around.”

Donna hums and sits back in her seat. “I’m stuffed.”

The waiter comes over then and asks if they’d like dessert and Josh is about to tell him no before Donna interrupts him.

“Let’s try a piece of the creme brûlée cheesecake,” she says, smiling at the waiter and taking another sip of her wine. 

Josh looks at her amusedly. “I thought you were stuffed?”

She shrugs. “I’ll find room.”

After Donna eats the majority of the cheesecake and Josh pays the bill, he leads her out of the restaurant with a hand on her back. She shivers a little when the chilly late April air hits her, so Josh shrugs out of his jacket and throws it over her shoulders. She just smiles at him in thanks before threading her arm through his and laying her head on his shoulder as they make their way back to the hotel in comfortable silence. 

When they make it up to the second floor, he turns her to face him before she can open her door. 

“I had a really good time tonight,” she murmurs and plucks at the open collar of his shirt. 

“Me, too,” Josh grins and he puts his hands on her waist. 

“Are you gonna come in?” 

He shakes his head. “I’m gonna kiss you goodnight and go back to my room. I’m being a gentleman.”

“Josh, you’ve already seen me naked,” she reminds him.

“Yeah,” he says, his face growing smug, “but this is different. You’re not supposed to sleep with someone on the first wooing date.”

“You did provide some good woo tonight,” she commends. “The flowers, the wine, the candlelit dinner, the anecdote about being raised by a strong woman. It was all very good and it worked. I want you to come inside.”

“Donna-“

“Josh,” she says, her voice dropping an octave as she steps even closer to him. She walks her fingers up his chest, playing with the buttons a little before she looks up at him. His breathing is becoming strained and she can probably feel his heartbeat under her fingers. “I thought you said you were going to woo the pants off me.”

He gulps, his resolve crumbling. “You’re technically not wearing pants right now,” he says, looking her up and down as her dress blows a little with the breeze. 

“Exactly,” she says, pulling him toward her by the back of his neck. “I’ve done half the work for you.”

She brings their faces together until he can feel her warm breath on his mouth. She smells like red wine and the perfume she put on earlier, and _Donna_ , and he can’t resist. Josh closes the remaining distance and kisses her gently. She slides her tongue in his mouth lazily and he groans against her. She smiles and reaches behind her to open her door, pulling him inside and letting it slam behind them.

***

The following week is a blur. Josh dives head first into the campaign, strategizing with Leo day and night, sharpening the language on the stump speech. Donna has basically been living at the library, only coming up for air when Josh brings her some food, and then she’s right back to burying her nose in more law textbooks. She and Josh haven’t had much time to spend together since their date on Friday. They still have separate hotel rooms, but they always end up together in one. Their quality time consists of waking up together and falling asleep together (or rather, one of them stumbling in after the other was already asleep), but not much else. 

Tonight, though, was different. Leo told them to take the night off. It was Friday and Josh was finally going to meet with Toby Ziegler and CJ Cregg who had just flown in from California the night before. Josh had called Sam the day after the Town Hall and told him there was no time to come get him, but he had to get his ass up to New Hampshire right now. Sam had settled some things in New York and was landing in about an hour. 

Josh is sitting on the hotel bed, watching the television run a story about a possible teacher’s union strike in Oregon as Donna finishes getting ready. 

“Honestly, Donna, it’s a dive bar, not a State dinner,” he calls. “You could wear a trash bag and still be the most elegant woman there.”

He hears her scoff through the open door before she finally waltzes out, her fingers threading some simple studs through her ear lobes and Josh grins. 

“Or you could wear that.”

She’s wearing those skin tight jeans again with a white tank top and a red flannel shirt she pilfered from his suitcase over top it. A diamond necklace is poking out of the collar and her hair is flowing around her shoulders. She’s stunning. 

He watches as she walks over to the dresser and lifts the small bottle of perfume she brought with her and spritzes some on her neck and wrists, rubbing them together before grabbing the remote and turning off the TV. Josh stands and fingers the loose ends of the soft flannel before tugging her to him. 

“You’re pretty,” he says goofily and she rolls her eyes, but he can see the blush working its way onto her cheeks. He kisses her there softly before grabbing his wallet off the table and taking her hand, leading her out the door and to the bar. 

***

“Samuel!” Josh calls from his seat at the high top, waving his friend over. 

“Joshua,” Sams says as he sits down and claps him on the shoulder. “How’s it goin’?”

“It’s good,” Josh says, smiling widely. “It’s going really good. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

He turns around just as Donna makes her way back from the bar with her second drink. Josh is about to introduce them when Donna gasps.

“Sam?!”

“Donna?”

“What- what the hell are you doing here?” she laughs, setting her drink on the table and walking over to give Sam a hug. 

“Josh came and got me from New York.”

“Wait,” Josh interjects, completely baffled. “You two know each other?”

Donna takes her seat on the other side of Josh and nods her head while taking a sip of her beer. 

“Sam was roommates with my old boyfriend’s brother at Duke,” Donna explains. “I was still in high school when we met the first time.”

“She was adorable,” Sam tells Josh. “You should’ve seen her face looking at all the college boys while she was still seeing that loser.”

“Yes, he was rather stupid, but I got a free beach trip out of him so,” she shrugs. 

Sam chuckles and Josh scowls a little, scooting closer to Donna and throwing his arm around the back of her chair. 

“Then she went and chose _Yale_ ,” Sam says, shaking his head in mock disgust.

“There’s nothing wrong with Yale,” Josh interjects, but they ignore him.

“Is this who you wanted to introduce me to?” Sam asks. 

“Yeah, she’s the girl I told you about.”

“You told Sam about me?” Donna asks, a smug grin crossing her features. 

“All he said was that he’d met some insane woman,” Sam says. “No other details.”

Donna glares over at Josh. “Insane?”

“I said insanely _beautiful_ ,”Josh clarifies, gulping a little. “And smart. Smarter than me.”

“Well,” she says, patting his leg a little. “I always knew that. I checked your SAT scores after you were bragging about your 760 verbal.”

“What do you mean you checked my scores? That’s private information,” he says, appalled. 

Donna smirks. “I know a guy who works for the state of Connecticut. He has a little crush on me,” she shrugs and takes a sip of her beer. 

Josh just looks at her for a second before she stands up suddenly again and waves her hand in the air. “Toby!”

Josh and Sam look behind them to see a gruff looking man nod his head in recognition and says something to the woman on his right, pointing at Donna before heading the bar. The woman walks over to the table and Donna greets her with a hug. 

“Claudia Jean, it’s been too long,” she says and the woman grins. 

“What’s it been, 3 and a half years since I saw you last? When you got your Masters and came to visit Beth for a couple weeks that summer, right?”

Donna nods her head. “She says hi, by the way.”

“Who’s Beth?” Josh asks, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Beth as in your sister?”

CJ turns to face the boys. “Who are they?”

“This is Sam Seaborn and Josh Lyman,” Donna says. “Sam’s gonna help Toby with the speeches and Josh is a domestic policy advisor. Boys, this is CJ Cregg.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Sam says warmly while shaking her hand. “I’m Sam.”

“Josh Lyman,” Josh says, shaking her hand as well and Donna gives him a pointed look. “And Donna Moss is a lot smarter than me.”

It’s the last day of the terms of their bet and Josh can’t wait to stop getting weird looks from everyone. 

Donna nods her head, satisfied, and CJ gives him a strange look. “Okay,” she says and drops his hand. 

Toby walks over to the table then and hands CJ a beer, grabbing 2 chairs from a neighboring table and sitting down. 

“Which one of you is Sam?” he asks, taking a sip of his Jack Daniels. 

“I am,” Sam says, raising his hand a little. “You must be Toby Ziegler. I’ve read a lot of your work. You’re very talented.” 

“Meet me in my room tomorrow morning, we need to get started on the social security portion of the stump speech.”

Sam just stares at him blankly. “Okay.”

Toby turns to Josh then and Josh raises his eyebrows amusedly. “Didn’t you work for Hoynes, like, last week?” Toby asks.

“Yeah,” Josh replies. He sees Donna snicker out of the corner of his eye. 

“Glad you were shown the light.”

Josh grins. “Yeah, me too,” he says and he rubs Donna’s knee under the table. “I’m Josh Lyman, by the way. Donna Moss is way smarter than me.”

“I could’ve told you that,” Toby says. 

“Wait,” Josh says, looking around the table for a moment. “Did everyone here know Donna _before_ Bartlet for America?”

They all nod. 

“My sister Beth worked with CJ at a PR firm in California. We met while I was in undergrad,” Donna says. “And Toby and I met a few years ago in- what was it? Albuquerque?”

Toby nods and Josh huffs a little. “Why the hell am I the last one to meet you?” Josh whines and Donna shrugs, taking a drink of her beer. “And what the hell is in Albuquerque?”

“Oh, I love this song,” CJ exclaims, interrupting Josh, and she grabs Donna’s hand. “Come dance with me.”

Donna stumbles out of her chair as CJ tugs her onto the small dance floor, looking back at Josh with a grin, but he scowls again. How come he had to suffer life without Donna longer than everyone else?

“Why are you so bent up about everyone knowing Donna before you,” Sam asks. Josh ignores him, his eyes still trained on Donna as she and CJ twirl each other around. 

“Josh.”

He whips his head when Sam waves his hand in front of his face. “What?”

“What’s up with you and Donna?”

Josh bites his lip a little to hide the huge smile trying to break through. “I really don’t know yet, but I know I like whatever it is. A lot.”

“Donna’s a sweet girl.”

Josh gives him a look. “That’s the second time you’ve called her some cutesy name tonight. Nothing... _happened_ between you guys, right?” Josh asks, his eyes wide.

“No,” Sam laughs. “God, no. I always saw Donna as a little sister when she’d come to visit.”

“Little sister? Isn’t she your age?”

“Did you miss the part where she said she was in high school when she met me at Duke? I was 5 years into school by then.”

“She’s 5 years younger than you?”

“6, actually. She skipped fourth grade.”

“But you’re 4 years younger than me.”

“Right.” 

“Donna’s only 25?”

“24. Her birthday isn’t until October.”

“She’s only 24 with a law degree from Yale?!” Josh exclaims.

“We told you she was smarter than you,” Toby mutters.

“Your voice got pretty high at the end there, Josh,” Sam says, grinning in amusement at him.

Josh turns his head to watch Donna again. She’s got a huge smile on her face as she watches CJ sing along to whatever song the DJ is playing. He doesn’t really care about the age difference, but the fact that she got a Bachelor’s, Master’s, _and_ Law degree within 7 years is blowing his mind. She keeps surprising him every day he knows her. 

“Sam!” CJ calls, waving him over to dance and Donna makes eye contact with Josh, bending her finger in a “come here” motion. He gets up immediately, her gravitational pull too strong for him to ever resist, and he leaves his beer and Toby, and he makes a beeline to her, instantly wrapping his arms around her waist. Donna smiles brightly at him as she throws her arms around his neck and pulls him into her. He lets her lead, finding her rhythm and moving with her.

“I have a bone to pick with you,” he says into her ear. 

“About what?”

“About how you’re apparently some kind of kid genius. Skipping grades and getting three degrees is a shorter time than it took me to get two.”

Donna leans back, holding onto his neck heavily for balance, so he can see her smirk. “Well, you should’ve known better. I wouldn’t have had you walking around telling everyone I’m smarter than you if it wasn’t true,” she says innocently. 

“What were your SAT scores?” he asks and she laughs at him happily, swaying them from side to side as some Third-Eye Blind starts playing from the speakers. 

“I think you’ll sleep better at night if you don’t know.”

“Okay, no,” he says, squeezing her hips. “Now you absolutely have to tell me.”

“You really wanna know?” she asks and Josh nods. She waits a few seconds until he squeezes her hips again before telling him. “780 verbal and 770 math.”

Josh freezes, literally feeling his dick harden painfully in his pants, and Donna pulls back further to look at him, an amused look at her face. 

“Holy shit,” he says, shaking his head out of his stupor. “You did it again.”

“Did what?”

“Got hotter.”

Donna chuckles and wraps her arms back around his neck. She turns her face into him and kisses his skin softly. “It’s the gift that keeps on giving.”

“Yes, you are,” he groans. Donna pulls back again and looks into his eyes. She’s still amused, her pupils dancing mischievously as she looks at him. She looks so beautiful to him right now; her hair thrown up into a makeshift ponytail, wearing his clothes, and torturing him in the best way possible. He flashes a dimple at her, and when her smile grows, he makes up his mind. 

“Be with me,” he says. 

Her eyebrows raise slightly. “Be with you,” she states. “As in...”

“As in being with me. Only me. Be my girlfriend, let’s make this official.” 

She smiles and puts her hand on his cheek, looking at him as if she can read his mind. 

“Yes,” she murmurs and leans forward to give him a sweet kiss. Josh keeps his eyes closed as she pulls away and he follows her lips a little, giving her some more quick kisses. She smiles against his mouth and he wraps his arms tighter around her and buries his nose in her neck. He inhales deeply, the scent of her perfume like an aphrodisiac to him, and he plants some kisses against her shoulder.

“Sorry it took me so long,” he murmurs and she squeezes his shoulders. 

“You were right on time.”

A slower tempo song comes over the speakers, so he pulls her closer to him, keeping his palm on her lower back under the flannel shirt she’s wearing as they sway back and forth. 

Josh loses himself in her for the length of the song. He closes his eyes and burrows against her shoulder as they dance. Donna runs her hands through the hair at the nape of his neck and he sighs deeply, utterly content. When the song ends and the DJ plays a Sugar Ray song, Donna pulls back from him, kisses him softly, and leads him back over to the table. 

“Sam,” Josh says, clapping him on the shoulder as he sits down next to Donna in one of the open chairs. “That question I said I didn’t know the answer to earlier? I know now.”

Sam shakes his head as Donna looks at him with a confused stare. 

“Good for you,” Sam says. 

“Do I even wanna know?” Donna asks.

“I have a hot girlfriend,” Josh says, smirking over at her and she lays her forehead in her hand as Sam snickers. 

“Is this gonna be a thing now?” Toby asks and CJ chuckles at Donna’s flushed ears. 

“It’s not gonna be a _thing,_ ” Josh says, “but, you know, she’s mine, so back off.”

Donna hits him in the stomach and he flinches a little, his grin growing widely across his face. He throws his arm over the back of her chair and twirls a piece of her hair around his finger.

“Don’t be gross,” she admonishes. 

“What’s everyone drinking?” Toby asks and stands from the table. “Next round’s on me.”

“Tequila,” CJ deadpans and Donna grins.

“Make it 3,” she says and squeezes Josh’s knee. “You’re doing one.”

Toby just nods his head and walks toward the bar and Josh leans in to whisper in her ear, a shit-eating grin on his face. “Will it make your clothes fall off this time, too?”

Donna smirks and squeezes his knee harder. “Maybe.”

Josh runs his nose along her jaw and she shivers a little. He presses a feather light kiss against her skin before turning his attention back to CJ and Sam.

For the next hour, they converse about everything. Making plans to bring to Leo tomorrow and trying to get to know each other. After the second round of tequila, Josh is feeling pleasantly warm. He’s still got a hand in Donna’s hair, running rhythmically as he listens to her argue with Toby. 

He tugs a little when her voice starts rising and he checks his watch. It’s just after 11, so he scoots back from the table, stopping the conversation. 

“When Donna starts reaching decibels that only dogs can hear, it’s time to call it a night,” Josh chuckles and runs his knuckles down her spine. Donna whacks his leg again a little, but giggles softly. 

“See you guys in the morning,” she says as she stands. Josh throws some bills on the table and grabs her hand, waving over his shoulder as he pulls her out the door. 

***

“So?” she asks, squeezing his hand as they walk along the quiet sidewalk back to the hotel. “What’s the verdict?”

Josh smiles. “Verdict on what?”

“On CJ and Toby.”

“I like them,” he says. “I think I’m gonna be in trouble with you and CJ. You both have the same evil genius mind.”

Donna laughs and wraps her free hand around his bicep. “I’m just glad I finally have backup against Toby. He and CJ go way back, you should hear about some of the arguments they’ve had.”

“Yeah, I can see what Leo and the Governor meant by him. He’s like a walnut, it’s gonna take me awhile to crack him.”

“He’s good for the campaign, Josh. He’s abrasive and loud and holds the Governor accountable. He’s exactly who we need to win.”

Josh nods his head. “I believe you. But I also can’t wait to see him and Bartlet go at it,” he smirks. 

Donna just rolls her eyes and they walk in silence for a while until they reach the hotel steps. Donna stops suddenly and turns around, making Josh stumble into her. 

“Josh, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“When was the last time you got tested?”

“Tested. As in..?”

“STDs.”

Josh’s eyebrows raise. “Uh,” he looks up, trying to remember his last physical. “Four months ago, I think? There was nothing. And you’re the only woman I’ve slept with since.”

“I don’t think we need to keep using condoms then,” she says practically and Josh chokes a little. 

“You don’t mean we should-,” he gestures vaguely toward her stomach and she rolls her eyes.

“No,” she says, snorting at the deer in headlights look on his face. “I _mean_ I’m on the pill. I have been for a year now and I’m also clean, so I don’t think we need the additional protection. Do you?”

“I-,” Josh stutters a little. “No, I mean, yeah we don’t need them. I agree.”

“We trust each other,” she states and he nods his head. 

“I trust you.” 

He grins as she nods her head, satisfied, and she turns back around to go up to his room. Josh follows her blindly, his body buzzing as he races up the stairs after her. 

***

As soon as Donna gets the door unlocked, he’s on her. His hands pull at the shirt she stole from him and he groans into her mouth as he kisses her. He pushes her up against the door, sliding a hand down her leg to hitch it over his hip. He thrusts into her a little and she moans when his zipper bumps into hers. She pushes his shoulders back so she can reach the hem of his shirt and pull it over his head. He does the same for her, shrugging the flannel off her shoulders and literally ripping the white tank top open before palming her breasts roughly through her bra. 

“Josh,” she moans and she grabs at his fly, throwing open the button clasp and undoing the zipper. He does the same for her and she hooks her fingers in both his boxers and pants, pulling hard until his erection springs free. She reaches for it immediately, moaning when she can feel how hot and thick he is for her. Josh sneaks a hand down the front of her pants and moans in the same fashion when he feels her wet and slick. He rubs at her gently as she strokes the length of him and both their hips jerk toward each other. Donna pushes his hand out of her pants so she can pull them and her underwear down. She reaches for his cock and goes up on her tiptoes as she guides him into her, both groaning at the lack of barrier between them for the first time. 

Josh shivers and starts thrusting in and out of her quickly as Donna hooks her knee higher on his waist, her pant leg still hanging around her ankle. He pounds into her and she wraps her arms around his neck, pulling at him so she can kiss him. 

“God,” he grunts, his hands bruising against her skin. “You feel so fucking good.”

“Josh,” she pants, and he leans back so he can thumb at her clit to catch her up to him. He’s been on the verge of blowing his load since she told him her SAT scores. This round won’t last very long. “Ohhh, _fuck._ ”

Josh quickens his thumb, rubbing tight circles around her swollen nub and she contracts around him, her opening drawing him even deeper as she climaxes quickly. Josh exhales loudly as he empties into her, both of their hips stuttering against each other. Donna shivers, goosebumps covering her arms and Josh takes his forehead off of hers. 

He looks down and huffs out a breathless laugh, making Donna raise her eyebrows at him.

“What’s funny?”

“Nothing, except we could barely get each other naked enough before going at it.” 

He continues to chuckle amusedly as she looks down. She smirks up at him before pushing him back a little. She takes off her shoes and socks, then she shakes the blue jeans and her underwear the rest of the way off her legs. Josh chuckles again as he tugs at the ripped fabric hanging on her shoulders and she reaches back and undoes the clasp on her bra making her completely nude before him. 

Josh licks his lips and toes off his own shoes as Donna helps him drag his pants the rest of the way down his legs. She pushes him until he sits down on the bed and she climbs onto his lap. She kisses him gently, taking her time to run her tongue along his lip and into his mouth. He groans into her, his hips flexing, and she grinds down on him.

“Donnatella,” he grunts. 

“Joshua,” she answers, kissing a path to his ear. 

Donna moans as his hips thrust against her and he grins against her mouth before falling back and rolling her underneath him. He kisses her languidly, rubbing his hand softly up and down her side. Donna whimpers and raises her hips, trying to nudge him where she wants him. 

“What do you want, Donnatella,” he murmurs. “My mouth?” 

He kisses her deeply, running his tongue against hers sensuously and she moans again. 

“Or my hand,” he says, walking his fingers across her lower belly. Donna’s hips raise again on their own accord, trying to get his hand a little lower. 

Josh teases her clit with his pointer finger, circling it lightly. She whines and her hips rise off the bed. 

“Josh, _please_.” 

He pats at her rhythmically with his finger, her breathing getting louder as she thrusts with him. Donna writhes on the bed as Josh rubs his finger gently up and down along her folds before patting at her clit again.

“Or do you want something else,” he murmurs and he rocks his hips against her. 

Donna grabs his dick in her hand and pulls him to her, pushing his own hand aside. “Just come here.”

She pulls him into her and Josh grunts against her skin and shifts so he’s not crushing her before moving out of her slowly and sinking back in. Josh rears up on his knees and pulls her hips to rest on his thighs. He thrusts against her slowly and she groans under him, grabbing her nipples and squeezing softly. 

Josh watches her. Her hair spilling across the pillow and her face twisted in pleasure as her hands continue to fondle her breasts and Josh slowly rocks in and out of her. 

“God damn,” he groans when her walls clench around him. “You drive me insane.”

Donna smiles up at him and pulls him down so she can kiss him, clamping around him again as she swirls her hips. Josh moans loudly into her mouth and his thrusts stutter a little against her. 

“Josh,” she pants, “harder.”

Their combined moans and the low hum of the air conditioner are drowned out over the sound of skin slapping against skin as Josh pounds into her with reckless abandon. He sits up straight on his knees, widening his stance so he can push her thighs farther apart and thumb her clit as he slides in and out of her. 

Donna keens loudly and her back arches as he slams into that spot deep inside her and flicks her throbbing nub with every push of his hips. 

“Josh, I wanna-“ she says, squeaking when he somehow spreads her even wider and keeps pressure on her clit. 

“You wanna what?” he pants. 

“Make me come,” she whines. “Please- oh, _shit_!” 

Josh is relentless now, working his hand over her until her mouth falls open in a silent scream and she clamps down hard around him, her thighs quivering as he keeps moving over her. 

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,” she breathes as he follows her into orgasm. He slumps against her, his stomach jerking violently, and Donna grabs his hair as she continues to grind up against him, only stopping when both their orgasms have run their course. 

“Oh, my God,” Josh moans, letting his full body weight lay on top of her as he tries to catch his breath. “We’re way too good at that.”

Donna exhales shakily and wraps her legs around his waist, holding him to her. After a moment, Josh tries to pull away, but she holds on. “Stay,” she murmurs, locking her ankles around him and keeping him tucked inside her. 

Josh buries his face in her neck, breathing her in deeply. Both their bodies cool down after a while and when Donna shivers, Josh ignores her whine of protest and slips out of her and onto his side. He pulls the comforter up and over them and hauls Donna into his arms. 

She snuggles in, rubbing her nose under his jaw, and he tightens his grip around her, twisting their legs together and finally sighing deeply when he’s satisfied. He runs his fingers up her arm and his eyes start to droop. 

He’s just about to nod off when he hears her whisper his name. 

“Yeah,” he whispers back.

There’s silence for a couple moments and Josh thinks maybe she fell asleep, but she shifts in his arms a little and kisses his chest softly. 

“I’m really glad I met you,” she murmurs.

Josh smiles sleepily at her and moves his hand from her arm to her cheek and pulls her in for a soft kiss. 

“Believe me when I tell you, Donnatella, that the feeling is completely mutual.”

He kisses her again and tucks her back into the cradle of his arms before closing his eyes.

“And I’m giving up my hotel room tomorrow.”

Josh snorts, but keeps his eyes closed, and pulls her closer. “You really are much smarter than me.”

“Yes, I am,” she whispers and gives him one last kiss before closing her eyes and following him into oblivion. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was like pulling teeth. It’s super filler and exposition, so I apologize if it seems redundant lol. I had to squeeze some canon in there somehow.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donna runs her hands into his hair, her smile mirroring his own. “I love you, you know.”
> 
> Josh leans his forehead against hers and closes his eyes. “Yeah, and I’m still not sure how I managed to make that happen.”
> 
> “Money, mostly.”

The next few months are a whirlwind. They’ve held smaller fundraisers and traveled around in an old RV to give stump speeches around New Hampshire and some more counties in the Northeast. Donna and Josh have solidified their roles in the campaign; Josh naturally gravitated toward Leo’s Deputy and Donna’s basically a walking encyclopedia, thesaurus, and overall trivia spouter. She knows foreign policy like the back of her hand and she and the Governor are like two peas in a pod. They give Leo and Josh a run for their money, fighting on domestic policy until 3 in the morning at least 3 nights a week. 

Leo always ends it, forcing Josh and Donna, and sometimes Toby, Sam, and CJ, out of the room so the Governor can get some peace and quiet. 

They’re actually back in Connecticut for the weekend, Leo fully kicking them out of the state so the Governor can celebrate his daughter’s birthday without working. 

Donna had kept her apartment until July when her lease was up, so she and Josh have been able to sneak away for a weekend here and there to escape the stress of Toby vs. Governor Bartlet and the lumpy hotel beds. 

Josh is helping her pack up her things to send to his apartment in DC for storage. She tried to tell him it wasn’t necessary, that she can just get a storage unit here until she actually moves to a new apartment in DC, but he insisted. 

“Besides,” he says, lining her books up to put in a box, “You’re moving to DC regardless of the election, so instead of having to come all the way back here from wherever the hell we end up, everything will already be there. You know, where it should be anyway.”

“Where it should be anyway,” she repeats, her eyes narrowing skeptically. 

“Exactly,” he says and turns back to the bookshelf. 

“In DC, you mean.”

“Yeah, in DC.”

“In your apartment.” 

He doesn’t answer immediately, so Donna stares at his back for a few moments. She calls his name, but he doesn’t turn around, so she walks over to him and physically turns him around to face her. His face is unreadable, but she can feel some tension surrounding him.

“Josh,” she says again, softly. “Are you saying—“

“I want you to move in with me.”

Donna’s eyebrows raise and before she can get a word in, he's off to the races. 

“I know it’s only been a few months and I know we have no idea where we’ll be a year from now, or even a month from now, but I know I want you with me. If everything else fails, if we all lose our jobs and have to go our separate ways, I wanna be where you are.”

Donna opens her mouth to reply, but he cuts her off again.

“And we don’t have to stay in my apartment. We can move somewhere else if you want. Somewhere outside of the city or somewhere right across the street from the White House, whatever you want. You can redecorate and we can get new towels, and— _mmph._ ”

Donna stops his ramblings by kissing him and she can feel him slump against her as she wraps her arms right around his middle. 

“What color is your bedroom?” she murmurs.

“Uh,” he blinks, “a darker yellowish color? I think?”

“I’m repainting it,” she states and Josh’s face splits in two. 

“Yeah?”

“And you’ll have to move your closet around. I have a lot of hangers.”

Josh continues smiling at her before wrapping his arms around her securely. “You can have the whole thing. I’ll hang my suits in the kitchen, I don’t care.”

Donna runs her hands into his hair, her smile mirroring his own. “I love you, you know.”

Josh leans his forehead against hers and closes his eyes. “Yeah, and I’m still not sure how I managed to make that happen _.”_

“Money, mostly.”

He snorts and buries his face into her shoulder as he chuckles against her. 

“And here I was assuming it was because of my exceptional sexual prowess and overall undeniable charm.”

“Nah,” she says, tweaking his ears a little. “Definitely the money.”

“You always know just what to say to keep me humble, Donnatella.”

She smirks. “We held a meeting and decided I was the best option to deflate that Utah sized ego of yours.”

Josh smiles again and kisses her. “I love you, too, you know.”

“I know,” she murmurs and kisses him again. “I’m gonna order a pizza.”

Josh lets his hands drop from her body, getting one last pinch on her ass before she walks away from him. “Fine, but no spinach this time.”

She orders a supreme, no onion and only sausage on half, and they drink beer while finishing up the packing. He tapes the last box shut as Donna cleans up the mess from dinner and he sprawls out on the floor, groaning dramatically.

Donna smirks and moves to stand over him. His arms are spread wide and his eyes are closed, so she nudges him with her bare foot.

“Josh.”

“Hm,” he grunts, keeping his eyes closed. 

“Let’s shower and go to bed.”

His eyes finally spring open and he looks up at her. He doesn’t say anything as she reaches a hand out and helps him to his feet. He throws his arm around her neck and leans heavily on her as she guides them to her bathroom.

“Josh,” she grunts, “you’re too heavy.”

“Donna,” he moans dramatically. “I’m in pain. You made me pack like a _thousand_ boxes, my body is weak.”

She laughs and shrugs out of his hold, guiding him to lean against the bathroom sink instead. She turns on the shower while he goes on and on about the plight of the worker and how he completely understands now why unionizing is so crucial, so Donna takes off her clothes. Josh is still in full blown rant mode, so she pulls back the shower curtain and steps in, letting him talk and giving her “mhm’s” when required. It’s not until she’s done shampooing that he stops abruptly and the curtain pulls back again.

“Donna.”

“Honey, can you close the curtain? You’re letting the cold air in.”

“Donna!” he exclaims and hastily starts unbuttoning his jeans. “You can’t shower without me.”

“Well, you were on a roll, I didn’t want to disturb you,” she shrugs. “Some of your best work comes out when I let you ramble on about nothing.”

“Okay, but you being naked always takes precedence over everything, so, you know, shut me up next time.”

“Duly noted,” she says and puts her head under the spray as he finally climbs in behind her. 

Donna turns her back to him as she washes her face and Josh slides his hands around her middle and cups her breasts. 

“How ya doin’?” he murmurs, and he presses his pelvis against her lightly. 

“I’m good,” she replies, pushing back against him. Josh tweaks her nipples, making her gasp, and she turns around. She trades places with him and pours some shampoo on her hands before putting them to his hair and scrubbing his scalp.

Josh hums and squeezes her hips. “Me too.”

She tips his head back to wash out the shampoo and Josh’s hands start to roam. He runs his fingertips up her sides before going back down again and squeezing her ass. He makes the path a few times before he slides up to her neck and cups her jaw. He kisses her slow and deep, running his tongue around her mouth lazily. 

“Josh,” she murmurs, her arms falling around his shoulders. He slides his hands back down her body, scraping a little over her nipples, making her moan, and down to tease her folds. 

Josh keeps kissing her for a few moments and Donna lets her hands run over his back and around to his belly. He twitches when she grabs his hardened length in her hand and pumps him a few times. Josh groans against her and flicks at her clit with his pointer finger. 

“Oh,” she whimpers. “Josh.”

She pulls him into her and raises her leg up on the lip of the tub so he has better access. Josh shivers when he pushes the rest of the way in. Her walls clench slightly and they both moan in unison as Josh starts to move. 

“Fuck,” he whispers. “You’re amazing.”

Donna huffs out a laugh and leans back from him to get better leverage. She swirls her hips down onto him and Josh’s eyes roll back into his head. 

“Yeah, right there,” she breathes and Josh thrusts a little faster against her. 

She rolls her pelvis against his and Josh flicks her clit again, making her cry out. Donna’s breathing gets heavier as Josh keeps rolling and flicking her swollen nub while sliding in and out of her rhythmically.

He keeps pressure on her clit and his hips thrust into her. She leans forward again, kissing him deeply as her orgasm takes over. She moans his name into his mouth and he groans as he spills inside her a few moments later. 

“I fucking love you,” he pants and kisses her again, swallowing her soft whimpers as he slips out of her. 

She leans against the tile and he follows her, slumping a little so he can catch his breath. 

Donna runs her hands over his arms for a moment before Josh stands up straight to look at her and he can see happiness dancing in her eyes, making a dimple flash on his cheek. She rubs it fondly with her thumb as the water continues to cascade around them. 

“I fucking love you, too,” she murmurs and gives him one more kiss before turning off the tap and making her way out of the shower. 

* * *

“What do you mean you _hate_ baseball?” Josh exclaims. They’re in her bed now, Josh sitting with his back to the headboard as the clock reads 12:07am, and she sighs heavily at him. “How can you hate baseball? We went to a game in New York last month, you said you had a good time!”

“Honey,” she says, patting his arm, “only birds can hear that pitch of voice.”

“Donna—“

“I did have a good time,” she soothes. “I was with you.”

She gives him a cheesy grin and Josh rolls his eyes. Donna huffs, seeing he’s still looking at her with betrayal in his eyes. She swings her leg over him and braces herself against his shoulders. 

“Plus,” she says, “they won and you were _incredibly_ enthusiastic. How could I ever hate baseball when the Night of Nine exists?”

Josh smirks. “Well, I had to give you an orgasm for every run they scored,” he murmurs and he pulls her in for a kiss. “It’s the only way to celebrate a Mets win.”

She giggles and massages his shoulders, her thighs clenching involuntarily as that night flashes through her mind. Josh smirks up at her and kisses her jaw.

“My old boyfriends only took me to Packers games,” she says. “Football is more my forte.” 

Josh bites down on her neck a little, growling at the mention of other men.

“No gomer talk while we’re engaged in sexual activities, Donnatella, you know the rules.”

Donna chuckles again and leans in to kiss him. “I thought we were still bickering,” she says against his lips. “Gomer and gomeress talk is allowed during arguments.”

“I wanna move along to more sexual activities,” he says, thrusting up against her. “We can’t have sex again until next _Thursday,_ Donna. We have to stock up.”

“God, you’re sexy when you’re being a drama queen,” she says and grinds down onto his rock hard erection.

Josh leans in to attack her neck and chest with kisses before flipping her underneath him. “You’re sexy every second of every day,” he says. “Even that night we went drinking with Toby and CJ and I had to hold your hair back while you threw up in that gross bar bathroom.”

Donna pushes at his shoulders, effectively dislodging his lips from her skin. “Okay, Josh, baby, retelling stories of me throwing up isn’t setting the mood.”

“Right, sorry,” he says and she pulls him back down to kiss him. 

* * *

They get into their first real fight in November. It’s exactly one year until the election, tensions are running high, no one has slept in a week, and Leo has literally locked himself inside his hotel room so no one can bother him anymore. Toby has gone down to the bar and CJ and Sam are aimlessly walking around whatever podunk Midwestern town they’re in, trying to cool off and get their heads right. 

Donna pulls Josh into their own room and slams the door behind her before letting him have it. 

“You’re such a jackass!” Donna shouts. “How dare— how _fucking_ dare you demean me like that in front of them! I can’t believe you.”

“You were acting like a naive little girl, Donnatella,” he spits, tugging at his tie roughly to loosen it. “You can’t honestly tell me you think the thing you said.”

“That’s not the point. You don’t _ever_ talk to me the way you did ever again. I’m just as qualified to be here as you, Josh Lyman. In fact, I _brought—_ ”

“No you’re not,” he says a little incredulously. “You’re not _just_ as qualified as me to be here.”

Donna stops cold and stares at him in disbelief. “Excuse me?” she asks, her voice deadly. 

“I have been Floor Manager in the House, Legislative Director for the House, Floor Director of the Senate, and Chief of Staff to a Representative. I think I know more than you on how Congress operates.”

“I know more than you on foreign policy,” she states, her eyes blazing. “I know more than you on women’s reproductive rights and healthcare initiatives. I know more than you on what it means to live in the middle class. I know more than you about the goddamn Constitution, Josh. So, try again.”

“Donna,” he says exasperatedly, “I didn’t mean—“

“This isn’t about our IQs,” she interrupts. “Because if it was, I’d have cold hard evidence that I am, in fact, _more_ qualified than you to be here. This is about you not taking me seriously. You don’t consider me an equal.”

“That’s not true,” he argues. “You know that’s not true.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Is that what you really think of me?”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Donna, I know you’re smarter than me,” he says and he runs his hand through his hair. “But you are fresh out of law school. You have no real world experience. You have no prior job history, you barely had time to clerk for a judge for 6 months during law school! Your nose has been stuck in a book for 7 years and during those 7 years, I was _embedded_ in Congress. I know the Hill better than I know myself, so on this particular subject, I am absolutely more qualified than you.”

“You called me dumb,” she whispers. “In front of everyone. You called me _dumb_ , Josh. I don’t give a damn about Congress or whatever policy we were talking about, you don’t ever get to treat me like that again. Or we’re done in every way possible.”

“Donna,” he pleads, taking a step toward her but she retreats from him. “I didn’t call you dumb. I would never do that. I just meant—“

“I’m gonna stay with CJ tonight,” she says, lifting a hand to make him stop speaking. 

Josh’s heart rate picks up and his body flushes with anxiety. “What do you mean you’re gonna stay with CJ? Donna, I’m sorry, okay? You don’t have to leave.”

She doesn’t look at him, just keeps packing her backpack with some clothes and her toothbrush. Josh tries to take it from her hands, but she holds on tightly. 

“Let me go.”

“Baby, please,” he whispers and he grabs her wrist. 

“Don’t call me that,” she says and she looks at the hand on her arm and then up to his face pointedly. Josh grips her tighter for a second before letting her hand drop. She shoulders her backpack and grabs one of the room keys before walking out the door and leaving Josh to wonder what the hell just happened. 

* * *

Josh waits a total of 30 seconds before calling her. The line goes to voicemail after a few rings, so he hangs up and tries again. He calls 6 times before he finally leaves a message. 

“I’m sorry,” he says to her voicemail. “I was stupid and a jackass and I’m _sorry_ , okay? Donna, please just— will you just come back here? You can keep yelling at me, you can throw things at me, I don’t care, just _please_ come back. Let me fix this. I didn’t mean any of it, alright? You are 100% qualified to be here. I just get in this headspace where I wanna win and I’ll do or say anything to get it done and it should never be targeted towards you. I was zeroed in on Toby and I got caught up in the moment and I said something to you that I shouldn’t have and I’m sorry, so can you please—“ 

The tone beeps in his ear that his message has reached its length capacity so he hangs up and immediately redials. 

“Can you please come home? I love you, Donna, you know I love you and I would never do anything to intentionally ruin this or belittle you. You're so important to me, and you’re important to the campaign, you’re important to the Governor and I know without a doubt in my mind that if the decision ever had to be made, he’d pick you over me in a heartbeat. You saved us on that domestic violence statistic last month. You’ve helped schmooze more money out of these elitist Northeastern snobs than anyone on the campaign combined. You got the language for the Social Security section of the stump speech absolutely perfect. You’ve saved my ass countless times when I put my foot in my mouth, so can you please, _please_ come home? I’m on my knees, Donna, I’m begging for your mercy.”

Josh pauses and runs his hand over his face, clutching the phone so tightly his knuckles turn white. 

“I love you,” he finishes softly. “If you believe nothing else,” he huffs a little and pulls on his hair anxiously, “just know I love you. And I’m sorry.”

Josh hangs up the phone and flips back onto the hotel bed. He isn’t sure how long he lays there, staring at the ceiling as the last hour flashes through his mind. He’s angry at himself for letting Donna get swept into the crossfire between him and Toby during the strategizing for Iowa and he’s angry at Donna for leaving, but mostly he’s just tired. They’ve expanded their stumping to the Midwest and Southeast, spending long, endless nights on the makeshift bus. He hasn’t slept more than 5 hours a night in a month and he misses his girlfriend. 

“Idiot,” he mutters to himself, throwing a pillow across his face. 

He huffs again and sits up straight, having half a mind to call CJ’s room until she answers him, but he ultimately decides against it. He’s learned over the past 6 months that Donna doesn’t respond well to being backed into a corner. He’ll give her space even if it kills him, and he’ll just have to trust that she’ll come to him when she’s ready. 

He stands and sighs heavily before meandering to the bathroom to take a quick shower, scrubbing his skin raw. 

He checks his phone and pager again when he steps back into the bedroom, but there’s no missed calls. He dials her number anyway, willing her to pick up this time, but he’s greeted with her voicemail once again.

“I, uh—“ he starts and scrubs a hand down his face. “I just wanna say goodnight. And reiterate the fact that I love you. So much, Donna, you have no idea how much you mean to me and I know that’s kind of the whole point as to why you left and I don’t blame you in the slightest, okay? I was a bastard and I was mean and I just want you to know I didn’t mean any of it and if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I will swear on everything that it will never happen again. Even if you don’t forgive me, it’ll never happen again.”

He sighs again. “Okay, I’m gonna stop bothering you now. I’ll see you tomorrow at breakfast.”

He stays on the line for a couple more seconds before whispering his goodnights again and hanging up.

* * *

Josh stirs from a restless sleep when the bed dips and a hand slides over his chest.

“Donna?” he mumbles, rolling over and pulling her into his embrace tightly. “What‘re you doing here?”

“Go back to sleep, Josh.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know,” she whispers and she snuggles into his neck, placing a sweet kiss on his skin. 

“I’m so sorry,” he repeats, rolling more solidly on top of her and kissing any piece of her he can reach. “You have to believe me, I _never_ meant to—“

Donna puts her hand over his mouth and shushes him. “I know. We’ll talk more in the morning, okay?”

Josh nods his head and tightens his hold around her waist, terrified she’ll slip away from him again. 

“I love you,” he breathes. 

“I love you, too, dumbass,” she says and her face breaks into a small smile. “Go back to sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.” 

* * *

She is, in fact, there when his eyes pop open the next morning. He blinks as the night before crashes around him and he looks at her while she sleeps next to him. He runs a finger down the side of her face and under her chin, caressing her softly before leaning in and kissing her cheek. Her eyes flutter and he smiles as her nose scrunches like it always does when she isn’t ready to wake up yet. 

He gives her a minute, still rubbing his thumb over her chin as she wakes up fully. She opens her eyes and looks at him blankly before groaning and stretching a little. A yawn wracks through her and she snuggles into him further, slipping her fingers under the t-shirt he’s wearing and rests them over his heart. 

“Donnatella,” he murmurs, running his own hand down to grip at the waistband of her pajama pants. 

“Joshua,” she whispers back. 

“Thank you for coming back,” he says and she shakes her head. 

“I shouldn’t have left,” she says. “I’m sorry.” 

“You don’t have anything to apologize for. I was an idiot,” he says, his voice growing a little frantic. “I swear, Donna, it’s never going to happen again.”

“Josh, it’s really okay,” she soothes and she rubs his sleep-warm skin. “I know you didn’t mean it the way I took it. I was fired up and I was looking for a fight and we both said things that we didn’t mean. So, let’s just forget about it, alright? Let’s just skip past the dramatic apologies and get to the much more enjoyable first round of makeup sex,” she says and leans in to kiss him. 

He lets himself revel in the feeling of her wrapped around him for a moment. “Are you sure?” he murmurs as she moves her leg more firmly across his waist. “‘Cause I had like 3 more apologies I practiced in the shower last night.”

Donna chuckles against his lips and kisses down his jaw and neck, pulling his shirt down to suck on his collarbone. She kisses the newly reddened mark before sliding her tongue to the other side and giving it the same attention. He moans softly when she pinches his nipple through the t-shirt.

“Do you remember the night we met?” she asks him, kissing back up his neck to lick at his earlobe. 

“That night is seared into my brain, Donnatella,” he says and he squeezes her hips. 

Donna pulls back and leans her forehead against his. “I knew that night that I trusted you and I didn’t even know your name.”

She smiles and runs her hand down his forearm. “So, now that I know you better than you know yourself, I’m certain that last night was a fluke and won’t happen again because I trust you, Josh. I know how much I mean to you because I know how much you mean to me.”

He whispers her name and she kisses him quickly. 

“I love you and I love arguing with you and I love pushing your buttons and playing devil’s advocate just so I can hear your voice get really high,” she says, smiling mischievously at him and he pinches her waist. “I love that we’re not scared of each other because when we do get too heated and angry, it never lasts long.”

“That’s mainly because you’re so hot when you’re yelling at me about Article Four of the Constitution. I always lose my train of thought and let you win.”

Donna rolls her eyes. “I know you also have your foot firmly planted in your mouth more often than not,” she says, giving him a pointed look. “But I love you anyway.”

His face breaks into a grin and Donna moves to cup his cheek in her hand, running her thumb under his eye slowly. 

“So, yes,” she murmurs. “I’m sure.”

Josh rolls over on top of her and kisses her deeply. Donna smiles against his lips and wraps her legs around his waist, squeezing him tightly to her. 

“So, we get to have makeup sex now?” he asks and she rolls her eyes, but still moves to pull his shirt up and over his head. 

“Josh?”

“Hm,” he murmurs against her neck. 

“‘I love you too, Donna’,” she says in a tone mocking his own. 

He smiles and kisses her neck once more before leaning back to look at her. 

“I love you, too, Donnatella,” he says. “More than anything.”

She smiles and shifts to roll on top of him. She takes off her shirt and tugs on his boxers so she can wrap her fingers around his length, making him moan.

“Now we can have makeup sex.”

* * *

“Donna!” Josh yells as the Bartlet for America War Room explodes. “Donnatella Moss, get your ass out here!”

He turns around and gives CJ a big hug as the television keeps reporting on Governor Bartlet winning the Illinois primary. He can’t believe how all their hard work has paid off. 

CJ gives him a kiss on the cheek as she pulls away, her infectious laugh making his heart expand in his chest. He feels invincible. 

“Hey!” Leo yells and wraps Josh up in a hug. “Way to go!”

Josh laughs happily and turns back around, looking for Donna. She told him she was making a quick call, but that was 20 minutes ago. 

“Where the hell is she?” he asks no one in particular as he skips out of the main room and into the kitchenette. 

“Donnatella, come dance with me,” he calls as he rounds the corner. She comes out of the bathroom, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath. His body pricks when he takes in her appearance and he instantly pulls her to him and brushes her hair out of her face. 

“What’s wrong?” he murmurs, his brow furrowed and she leans away from him, wiping her eyes again before looking up at him.

“I just got off the phone with your mom,” she says shakily. Josh’s heart rate picks up and he shakes his head a little. “Josh, honey, I’m so sorry. Your father died.”

Josh freezes in her arms and she reaches up to rub at his cheeks and down his shoulders. He stares through her for a long moment and Donna squeezes his shoulders.

“Josh,” she murmurs and she threads her fingers into his hair.

“I, uh—,” he stammers and pulls away from her. “I have to go to Connecticut.”

“Josh,” she says again and grabs his hand tightly in hers so he can’t get away. “I’ll take care of everything, okay? Just stay here and I’ll go tell Leo and have Ginger book us the plane tickets.”

She moves him inside the bathroom and sits him down on the closed toilet seat. 

“Us?” he asks, looking up at her blankly. 

“I’m coming with you,” she states.

“We won Illinois,” he whispers and Donna’s face falls.

She steps closer to him and swipes her thumb over his cheek fondly. “Yeah,” she murmurs and leans in to kiss his forehead. “Stay here.”

* * *

Donna watches from the coffee cart in the airport as the Governor talks with Josh. Their flight is boarding any minute, but he insisted, so she had left them alone for some privacy. She sees Josh gesture toward the exit and he looks over at her, cocking his head in a silent request for her to come back over to him.

“You want me to go with you? I can get a ticket and go with you,” the Governor says, patting his pockets. 

Josh laughs a little and shakes his head. “Governor... _California,_ ” he says, gesturing with his hand a little. “You have to go to the ballroom and give a victory speech in prime time and go to California.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“You _guess_ I’m right? Listen to me, Governor, if you don’t lose this election, it isn’t going to be because you didn’t try hard enough. Donna’s coming with me, but it was nice of you to ask,” Josh finishes softly and he grabs Donna’s hand and squeezes. 

Governor Bartlet looks between them for a moment before setting his gaze on Donna. She nods her head and he mirrors her as the airline employee announces their flight is now boarding. She turns and tugs on Josh’s arm to get him moving, but he holds still and looks at the Governor for a few seconds longer before turning around and following Donna onto the plane. 

* * *

They land in New York around 11pm. Josh hasn’t said a word since they boarded and Donna’s getting worried. They still have another hour-long car ride until they get to Westport. 

“Josh, come on,” she coaxes, leading him to the rental car kiosk. 

He follows her blindly, his mind clearly occupied as she grabs her wallet to book a car. The agent hands her a set of keys and she grabs Josh’s hand again and they go out the sliding doors. He throws his book bag in the trunk and goes to sit in the driver’s seat. Donna grabs his wrist and draws him to the passenger side instead. 

“I’m driving,” she says and Josh doesn’t put up a fight. 

He plops down and she shuts his door and walks around the car. She sits behind the wheel, closes her door, and looks over at him for a second, her brows furrowing in concern. She reaches over and squeezes his leg.

“Joshua,” she murmurs and he blinks before looking over at her. 

“I didn’t bring another suit,” he mutters. “Or even a toothbrush.”

“Don’t worry about that now. I already have a mental list of what we’ll need and I’ll take care of everything, okay? I’m just worried about you,” she murmurs and she runs her palm across his arm. 

Josh puts his hand on top of hers and leans in to kiss her softly. “I’m okay.”

She pulls back to look at him with a skeptical look. 

“Are you sure?” she asks, bringing her hand up to brush across his cheek. “I’ve never heard you be this quiet before and it’s kind of freaking me out.”

Josh huffs out a small laugh and kisses her forehead before leaning back and buckling his seatbelt. 

“I’m okay,” he repeats and he grabs her right hand from her lap. He brings it up so he can kiss her knuckles softly. “You’re here, so I’m okay.” 

Donna looks at him for a long moment, trying to see any kind of lie under his words, but she can see he’s telling the truth. He is okay, or at least he will be. 

She takes her hand back and does her seatbelt, starting the car and throwing it in drive before reaching for him again and resting their joined palms in his lap. 

“I’m not going anywhere.” 

* * *

When Donna pulls up to his parents’ house, his mom is waiting for them on the front porch. Josh is out in a flash, jogging up the stairs before wrapping his mom up in a big hug. 

Donna stays in the car for a minute, looking away to give him some privacy. She wipes her eyes and takes a deep breath before opening the door and walking around to the trunk to grab his bag. She shoulders it and makes her way up to the house as Josh leans back from his mom and kisses her cheek before turning them both to look at Donna. 

“I’m so sorry,” Donna says softly and she leans in to give his mom a tentative hug. She and Josh were able to come to their house for the third night of Hannakah in December, so Donna knows her and was able to meet his dad, but still isn’t sure of her place. 

She’s surprised when his mom lets go of Josh completely to give Donna a tight squeeze. “Thank you for coming with him,” she whispers and Donna nods. 

“Of course.”

She lets Donna go and heads back into the house. Josh looks over at Donna and quirks his eyebrow in a silent question, but she just smiles at him and shakes her head. 

“Come on,” she says and she pulls him into the house behind her. 

*** 

After the mourners leave the cemetery and congregate at Josh’s parents’ house, he won’t let go of her hand. A lot of Noah Lyman’s colleagues know who Josh and Donna work for and want to lobby for Bartlet. Donna runs interference and gives at least six of her own business cards along with 4 fake phone calls that Josh has to take immediately in order for him to not have to talk about politics right now. 

He seems fine, all things considered, but she knows when his brow is furrowed the way it has been for the past hour that he’s working through something in his head. She knows he’ll tell her when he’s ready, so she ignores it for now and tugs him over to the long line of tables full of food that everyone brought for shiva. 

By 7pm, he’s fading fast and he knows she can tell as he tunes out of the conversation they're in for the third time. She squeezes his bicep before excusing themselves and tugs him up the stairs.

“Thanks,” he mumbles, nudging her shoulder as he digs his hands deeper in his pockets. 

She smiles softly as he leads her into his old room and flicks the lightswitch. She didn’t have much time to look around when they were here a few months ago as his mother had their 36 hours in Connecticut scheduled to the minute, so Donna takes her time to take it in now. 

There are Mets posters on the wall and a red Harvard flag hanging over his high school diploma. She gives him a pointed look when she sees a smaller poster of Farrah Fawcett’s solo picture from Charlie’s Angels. He smirks and shrugs his shoulders.

“I like blondes,” he says.

Donna bites her lip and continues her search around his room. There’s a bookshelf full of biographies and school textbooks. There’s more shelves with random artifacts; a baseball mitt, a brick with ‘J + J 1966’ written on it in black marker, a picture of a backyard signed by one Joanie Lyman. Donna quirks her eyebrow at that and Josh chuckles. 

“That yard is my father’s pride and joy,” Josh says, shaking his head a little. “My mom does the garden and flowers, but my dad has mowed that yard to perfection every Tuesday morning since I can remember. It was his ritual. So, one time, Joanie had gotten up before dad and wanted to help him out by mowing the yard for him and as you can see,” he grabs the picture frame and brings it closer to her, “it looked like a first grader trying to write the letter ‘S’ when she was done,” he laughs. 

“Dad was _so_ mad, but it was physically impossible to stay angry at Joanie for too long, so he just left, called off work, and drove to New York for a day game. First and only day off I’d ever seen him take.”

He grins before setting the picture back on the shelf. “When he came home, he went to her room and I thought she was toast, but he just gave her a hug, thanked her for helping him out, and snapped this picture from her bedroom window. He had it developed and asked her to sign it because it was her first work of art.”

His grin grows wider for a moment and he shuffles a little with his hands still in his pockets. Donna watches as his face slowly falls and he turns away from the shelves. She doesn’t say anything as she goes to stand in front of him and she runs her hands up and down his arms, coaxing them out of his pockets and around her waist. She sways him soothingly, her hands massaging his back and he melts into her. 

“He really liked you, you know,” he murmurs into her ear after a long moment. 

Donna responds by tightening her hold around his middle and kissing his shoulder. 

“My mom likes you, too. She had my dad sit me down when we were here in December and tell me that under no circumstances was I allowed to let you go.”

Donna hums. “I like that rule.” 

“He said you reminded him of Joanie,” he whispers and Donna’s eyes well up with tears. Josh kisses the side of her head. “And you know that’s the highest honor anyone in my family can give.”

“Josh,” she says shakily and she leans back from him to meet his gaze.

“He told me to give you this,” he says softly and he looks down.

She follows his sightline downward to see him holding the most beautiful diamond ring she’s ever seen. She gasps a little, one of her hands coming up to cover her mouth.

“It belonged to my grandmother. She called it her good luck charm,” he says, his mouth quirking in a smile. “My dad told me to stop wasting time, that I knew you were it for me already so what the hell was I waiting for?” 

Josh exhales a little nervously and Donna can’t stop the tears falling now. 

“I love you, Donna, you know I do. And I’ve been walking around for 3 months with this ring in my pocket trying to find the right time to give it to you, but there is no _right_ time and I know you’re probably thinking I've lost my mind and this is just some reactionary spur of the moment thing, and I guess it kind of is, but it’s still genuine and I—“

She cuts him off with her mouth against his and he sags against her, fisting the material of her dress in his free hand as he tries to pour everything he’s feeling into the kiss. 

“Ask me the question,” she murmurs and his heart hammers in his chest. 

He grabs her left hand in his, placing the ring around the tip of her finger and takes a deep breath before looking her right in the eye.

“Will you marry me?”

Donna stares back at him for a second. He looks so tired, but his eyes are bright and there’s a small smile curving his lips. She’s torn because she wants to scream ‘yes!’ in his face and have her way with him right here in his childhood bedroom, but then she remembers why they’re here and she bites her lip.

“Are you sure?” she asks, running her free hand up to caress his cheek. “Because I’ve known my answer for a long time, Josh, and I’m not going anywhere, so if—“

“Donnatella,” he interrupts, “I’m sure. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life.”

She bites her lip again, but this time to try and hide the huge smile breaking across her face. 

“Yes,” she breathes and her smile gets even wider as he slides the ring the rest of the way down her finger.

She looks at it for a minute, glinting in the soft light, and then she looks up at him and throws her arms around his neck. He kisses her cheek as she hugs him, whispering that he loves her, and she only holds him tighter. 

They stay that way for a long time, swaying a little in the quiet, comfortable silence they’ve grown so fond of, and Josh feels the most heavy wave of bittersweet feelings rush through him. He holds Donna even tighter, grateful she's here with him, but devastated that his dad will never see him marry her, never see a grandchild he always hoped would come to fruition. He thinks about how much he knows Joanie would’ve loved Donna and he can’t help it as he finally breaks down on her shoulder. 

Donna doesn’t say anything, she just continues to rock him softly and run her hands over his back soothingly as he mourns for the family he’s lost.

* * *

As soon as their plane touches down in California, Josh shifts into political operative mode. He accepts everyone’s condolences and CJ’s kiss on his cheek, but immediately tells them to quit slacking. They have work to do. 

Josh and Donna had decided on the plane that they weren’t going to tell anyone (besides his mother and her parents) about their engagement until after the Convention, so her ring hangs around a silver chain under her shirt. He feels a thrill buzzing around them, like their own secret bubble has formed and nothing can pop it. 

He squeezes her hand and she smiles at him knowingly. She pulls away from him to go meet with Dr. Bartlet and she pats the spot on her shirt where the ring stays underneath. He grins at her affectionately.

“Do good,” she says and turns around, leaving him in the lobby of the hotel. 

He stares after her as she walks away and around the corner, out of his sight. He blinks and takes a deep breath, letting his emotions settle, before turning around and heading to Toby’s room; fully determined to put Governor Bartlet in the White House. 

* * *

The staff whoops and hollers as their boss accepts the Democratic Nominee for President of the United States. It’s been a long few months from winning Illinois to the last day of the Democratic National Convention. They’ve worked their asses off, gotten about 14 hours of sleep total since March, and it’s all paid off. 

Josh hugs Donna tightly and he kisses her as the confetti cannons shoot off. 

“You’re getting so lucky tonight,” she says in his ear and he picks her up and spins her around, both of them breathless with laughter. 

“God, you were _incredible,_ Donna! That move with the press was diabolical and it _worked_. You made this happen,” he says, kissing her cheek. “I’m so proud of you.”

Donna just kisses him before grabbing his hand. She turns to Sam and Toby while pulling Josh out of the crowd. 

“Let’s get drunk!”

* * *

Josh orders about 30 pizzas as the Bartlet for America room fills up with celebrating staffers. Sam walks by him as he hangs up the phone, so Josh throws his arm around his shoulders and they walk over to where Toby is lighting up a cigar. 

“Well done, boys,” Toby calls and Josh lets go of Sam to clap him on the shoulder. “Where’s Donna? I wanna give her a big, fat kiss for that scheme with the press.”

Josh laughs, his chest puffing with pride, and he looks around the room, searching for his fiancé. He finally spots her as Leo twirls her around on the makeshift dance floor. Josh nudges Toby and points toward them. 

“Leo might beat you to it,” he says, still laughing. 

“When are you gonna be a man and give that girl a ring?” Toby asks, leaning back on his heels.

“Funny you should mention that,” Josh says and smirks. “Donna!” 

Her head whips in his direction and he cocks his head to summon her. She puts her hand in Leo’s elbow and snags CJ on her way over to the boys. She slides into the crook of Josh’s arm and she smiles up at him. 

“Donna and I are engaged,” he says, squeezing her waist as they’re bombarded with surprised gasps, a round of congratulations, and CJ’s infectious laugh. 

“Mazel Tov, but my point still stands,” Toby says, gesturing with his drink toward Donna’s bare left hand. “This girl just won the nomination for us, she deserves a diamond.”

Donna rolls her eyes and sticks her hand down her shirt to pull the chain up and off her head. She gets the clasp undone and lets the ring slide to her palm before putting it on her finger. She looks up and wiggles her hand teasingly at Toby. 

“You were saying?” she says smugly and Josh mirrors her. He throws an arm around her neck and pulls her to him so he can kiss her temple. She laces her left hand with his right and he toys with the ring, loving the way it feels against his skin now that it’s finally where it belongs. 

“Come on, Toby, you really think I’d propose with no ring?” 

Toby just shakes his head and a small smile quirks behind the cigar in his mouth. Josh counts that as a win.

CJ tugs Donna away, demanding to know all the details as she gushes at how elegant the ring looks. Josh just smiles again as he watches them walk away and Sam nudges his arm.

“Good for you, Josh,” he says, a big smile on his face. “Donna’s the best.”

“Which begs the question as to what she sees in you,” Toby says.

Leo chuffs a laugh and shakes Josh’s hand. “I know that ring,” he says purposely. “It survived the Holocaust and I know your dad would never give it to you for just anyone.”

Josh swallows as emotion rises in his throat and he looks at Leo, a sly smirk sliding across the older man’s face. 

“She’s a good girl,” he says and he drops Josh’s hand to clap his shoulder. “I’m sure your mother is thrilled.”

Josh lets out a watery laugh and nods his head. “She’s happy there’s someone else besides her to keep me in line.”

Sam and Leo laugh again. “Good luck to her,” Leo says and he claps Josh’s arm once more before making his way back through the crowd. 

Toby follows him, wanting to find the Governor, and leaves Sam and Josh alone. 

“I want you to be my best man,” Josh says, turning to Sam and he bounces a little on the balls of his feet. “We don’t have a date or anything resembling a plan yet, but when the time comes, I’d like for you to be up there with me.”

Sam’s eyebrows raise as a smile forms across his face. “I’d be honored,” he says and he shakes Josh’s hand before throwing his arm around him to pound his back a little. 

“You have to run the speech by me first though,” Josh says seriously. “I mean it, Sam. She can never know about North Carolina in 1993.”

“What happened in North Carolina in 1993?” Donna asks as she and CJ make their way back over to them. 

“Nothing,” Josh says quickly. 

She hands a beer to Josh, narrowing her eyes playfully, and CJ pulls Sam over to dance with her and Ginger. Josh wraps his arms around Donna's waist from behind and she rests back against him as they watch their friends celebrate. She shakes against him with laughter as CJ dips Sam dramatically.

“Sam said yes,” Josh says, taking a sip of his drink. 

Donna turns her head up to him. “I’m glad,” she says softly and turns back to the crowd. 

Governor Bartlet enters the room, then, and everyone goes nuts, clapping and hooting happily as he shakes hands. 

“Great job, everyone!” he shouts and laughs merrily as Abbey comes up behind him and grabs his hand, lifting it victoriously. 

The crowd dies down after their long standing ovation and the music gets turned back up when the Governor makes his way to where Josh and Donna are standing. 

Donna moves out of Josh’s hold and accepts Abbey’s hug as Josh shakes hands with Bartlet. 

“I hear another sort of congratulations are in order over here,” Abbey says and she grabs Donna’s left hand. “Oh, Joshua, you’ve outdone yourself.”

Josh preens and wraps his arm back around Donna’s waist. “I can’t take all the credit. It was my great-grandmother’s to begin with, then my grandmother’s. I just paid a guy to clean it.”

Donna elbows him in the side. “It’s much more romantic than _that_.”

“You’ll have to tell me all the details tomorrow on the plane,” Abbey says.

The Governor scowls a little and moves to kiss Donna on the cheek. “You can still back out, you know,” he says and she chuckles. “I can have the Secret Service get rid of him. Just say the word.”

Josh scoffs. “They can’t do that.”

The Governor just stares him dead in the eye, unmoving, and Josh gulps before turning to Donna, his eyebrows raised. 

“Please don’t let them get rid of me.”

Donna smirks and pats his cheek. “You’re safe,” she says and turns back to Abbey and Governor Bartlet. “For now.”

Abbey smiles before squeezing her husband’s hand. “We gotta go, Jethro.”

Josh wraps his arms back around Donna as Abbey and the Governor make their way through the crowd. 

“You wanna get out of here,” he murmurs into her ear and tightens his hold around her middle. 

“Your pizzas haven’t even gotten here yet,” she says as he plants a kiss on her shoulder and Donna subtly pushes her ass back against him, making him groan quietly.

“I’m more hungry in a non-food way,” he mumbles, his lips still on her shoulder as he pushes his pelvis against her. 

She hums. “I can tell,” she murmurs, feeling his rising erection against her. 

“I want you so bad,” he breathes. “Let’s go to our room.” 

“Josh, everyone will know what we’re doing.”

“So? We’re engaged, we made Jed Bartlet the Democratic Nominee, and if you don’t think there will be about 20 drunken hookups tonight, you’re kidding yourself.”

Donna snorts and runs her hands over his arms that are resting across her stomach. She leans back heavily against him and sighs happily as she watches CJ and Toby dance. Josh is quiet behind her, still fully aroused at this point, but content to let this moment wash over him. It’s been a long road, full of fighting and heartbreak and pure joy. They still have a long way to go until November, but he looks around the room and sees this incredible team Leo’s put together and Josh can’t help but think they have it in the bag. He keeps that thought to himself, though. 

Donna chuckles when Sam tries to dance with Toby, failing spectacularly, and going back over to a cackling CJ with a bruise forming on his arm. Donna pushes back against Josh again suggestively and she turns her head, wanting him to bend so she can whisper in his ear. 

“I love you,” she murmurs and she kisses his cheek sweetly. 

Josh squeezes her midsection and kisses the side of her head. “I love you.”

“You still want me, too?”

“God, yes,” Josh growls and nips her shoulder. 

Donna shivers and bumps back against him one more time before grabbing his hands from around her stomach and leading him to the elevators. 

* * *

Donna pushes him against the wall of the elevator and sticks her tongue in his mouth as soon as the doors close. Josh grunts and runs his hands down her back and pulls her closer.

“Why am I feeling such a strong sense of déjà vu right now?” he mutters against her lips. 

Donna smiles and kisses him once more before the elevator dings and she pulls him to their room. Josh wraps his arms back around her middle and kisses her neck as she fumbles with the room key.

She finally pushes it open and Josh trips after her, dropping his hands from her body to tug his shirt out of his slacks. Donna throws her heels in the vicinity of her suitcase and Josh follows suit with his shoes. He’s just about to reach for her when she smiles at him wickedly and takes a step back. 

“Speaking of déjà vu,” she says and she reaches behind her to unzip her skirt. 

Josh watches, slightly amused, but mostly turned on, as she slowly pulls the skirt down and onto the floor. 

“Oh my God,” he moans and her smile only grows as his jaw drops when she takes off her shirt. “How did you even get that?”

She slowly saunters over to him and reaches for his hands. She guides them to the straps on her thighs and he groans again. 

“I may have bribed CJ to break into your apartment and get it for me when she was in DC last month.”

Josh looks down and fingers the emerald green garter reverently, instantly flashing back to the night when they first met. 

“This thing haunted my dreams for weeks,” he says, pulling the garter to bring her closer. “You have no idea how many times I woke up with a massive hard on because of this goddamn garter.”

Donna smirks and runs her hands down his chest, undoing the buttons on his shirt and pushing it off him. 

“Your shirt haunted me, too. My neighbors knew you were good in bed before you ever came to visit, Josh.”

Josh puts his tongue in his cheek and rests his hands on her ass. “You touched yourself to the thought of me, Donnatella?” he asks, his voice dripping desire.

Donna nods her head and looks up at him from her lashes. “Every night.”

Josh’s dick somehow hardens even more in his pants. He leans in and kisses her deeply, his tongue sweeping over hers. She tastes vaguely like beer and strawberries from her chapstick and Josh can’t get enough. He pulls on her waist a little and bumps her pelvis with his. 

“Show me,” he whispers.

Donna smiles against his mouth and moves her hands to his belt. She gets it undone quickly and shoves his pants and boxers to the ground. Josh nudges her back to sit on the bed and pulls down her underwear and thigh highs, leaving the garter on her waist. He kisses her again before sitting in the small chair a few feet from her. He watches Donna as she closes her eyes and moves her hands to unclasp her bra. She tosses it to the floor and cups her breasts, moving her thumbs to tweak her nipples and Josh grunts. 

“Thinking about your hands always got me started,” she murmurs, her eyes still closed. “You have good hands and a smart mouth, it’s like my own personal catnip.”

Josh smirks. “Well, I aim to please.”

“You’re very pleasing,” she says, breathless as she keeps working her nipples. “I love when you run your hands all over my body. Like you’re trying to memorize it.”

She mirrors her words and runs her hands up her chest and neck. Josh leans back in the chair, keeping his arms on the armrests for now. 

“You always pinch my nipples first,” she says and she does just that, gasping as they harden. “And then you kiss me.”

Josh leans forward and kisses her quickly, making her smile with her eyes still closed, and he sits back again. Donna runs her hands back down her body and she shifts on the bed so she can lift one of her legs, bringing her knee up to get better access. 

“And then what,” he murmurs, shifting one of his hands to his thigh. 

“You like to grab on my ass.”

“It’s an incredible ass.”

She smirks and moves her hand down her thigh, tugging a little on the garter, and back up again. Josh’s eyes follow her fingers as they move lower and lower with every pass before coming to rest on her mound. He exhales loudly as she starts to pat at herself. Donna lets out a soft sigh and Josh swallows thickly. 

“I thought about your mouth on me,” she says, her breath stuttering a little. She moves her hand again to rub over her folds and she moans. “That goddamn mouth. It’s why watching you argue politics gets me so turned on.”

She flicks lightly at her clit with her pointer finger and she shivers. Josh grabs his hardened dick with his hand, thumbing the head as he watches her touch herself. 

“That night after debate prep,” he says, smirking as he pumps himself once before returning to the tip. “Was the best sex I’ve ever had in any lifetime.”

Donna smiles and moans again as she slides a finger inside herself. Josh squeezes his dick and starts pumping his hand slowly. 

“You were on fire that entire day,” she says, slowly sliding her finger in and out of herself. “I wanted to fuck you so bad. It was killing me having to wait.”

Josh lets out a moan as he watches her add another finger and start pumping in earnest. He matches her rhythm and his eyes roll back a little. 

“Drag me to a closet next time,” he says, slightly breathless and she smiles. 

“I looked for one. They were all too close to the room and I just can’t only have one wall separating us from the Governor.”

Josh huffs and Donna shifts again on the bed. She moves to sit back against the headboard and brings her knees up and spreads her thighs so Josh has a completely unobstructed view. He moans loudly as she buries her fingers back in herself and rubs the heel of her hand over her clit. 

“Josh,” she pants and she speeds up her movements. “You have no idea how good it feels when you’re inside me. You fit so perfectly. It’s like we were made for each other.”

Josh’s hips jerk when she removes her hands and spreads her folds wide open, strumming her thumb over her clit as the buckles on her thighs move rhythmically. He can see how wet she is, her skin pink and shiny with arousal and he moans again. 

“God, Donna,” he grunts and he’s close now, he can feel the tingle in his spine. “I want to see you come.”

She whimpers and puts her fingers back inside, shifting down on the bed to get a better angle. Her back arches and Josh has to close his eyes, his heart pounding.

“You make me feel so good, Josh,” she pants. “Like I’m the sexiest woman in the world.”

“You are,” he groans, his eyes popping open again to watch her. 

She gasps and her hips jump from the bed when she swipes up, scratching at that spot inside her and Josh’s vision goes blurry. She whimpers his name again and he watches her under hooded lids. His hand speeds up automatically to match hers and soon they’re both breathing heavily. Donna moans and her stomach convulses as her walls flutter around her fingers. 

“Fuck, fuck, _fuck,”_ Josh groans and his hips stutter as he comes. 

Donna moans his name again and her thighs clamp down on her wrist as her orgasm washes over her. Josh keeps his gaze on her until it becomes too much and he closes his eyes again, his hips finally coming back down to rest on the chair. He opens his eyes to find Donna staring back at him with a blissed out smile on her face and he's sure he’s wearing a matching smug smirk on his own. 

He leans over and snags one of his discarded undershirts on the floor and wipes up the mess on his hand and thighs before standing up and crawling on the bed. He kisses the back of her fingers that are still resting on her belly and moves his lips to trail over her nipple and up her neck. She pulls him to her, kissing him hard, and he moves to a more comfortable position between her thighs. 

Donna rolls slightly, her leg hitched over his hip, so they're on their sides facing one another. She pulls back and rests her forehead against his, both of them letting out a satisfied exhale. Josh wraps his arm more firmly on her waist and fists the garter, tugging her more securely to him.

“You truly are the gift that keeps on giving,” he says and Donna snorts. 

She keeps laughing and Josh looks at her, amused, as the giggles fully take over. She buries her face in his neck, trying her damndest to stifle her mirth, but it’s in vain when she pulls back again and sees the confusion on his face and another round hits her

“What is so funny?” he asks as she leans away from him and covers her face. 

“I’m sorry,” she says, a little breathless and still giggling. “It’s just—“

She cuts herself off and tries to take a deep breath. She turns back to him, her eyes a little wet with happiness and a big smile on her face, and Josh can’t help but mirror her infectious mood. 

“It’s just that two years ago I was trying to make a terrible relationship work while going to law school full time and when I finally ended it, I thought to myself that I was done with boys altogether. I was determined to work my ass off for Bartlet and focus on my career and cut off that part of my life for a while.”

She runs her hand up his arm and looks at him like she can’t believe he’s really in front of her. “Then I picked a completely _random_ bar to drown my sorrows in because I liked the name of it and there you were.”

She huffs out another laugh and Josh squeezes her hip. 

“And now we’re working for the Democratic Nominee and we’re _engaged_ and I don’t ever think about any of that stuff from the past anymore. It’s just funny the way life plays out sometimes is all,” she says and she moves to caress his cheek. 

Josh stares at her for a long moment. She looks so completely happy and content and Josh’s stomach swoops. He can’t help but send up a quick thank you to whomever was in charge of bringing her to him. He knows that being allowed within her glowing atmosphere is the highest honor the universe has given him and he vows to never take it for granted. 

“I’ve never loved anyone or anything as much as I love you,” he murmurs. “And I know that we are _unstoppable_ together, Donna. I think even if we hadn’t met that night, we would’ve met some other way. You felt inevitable to me, like— like _fate_ and I never really believed in that before you.” 

He looks at her deeply for a moment and he sees his entire future swimming in the blue of her eyes. “We’re gonna win and we’re gonna get married and we’re gonna change the world.”

She moves her hand into his hair, scratching softly. “I think you’re right,” she whispers. “But don’t let Toby hear you say that.” 

Josh huffs a laugh this time and pulls her to lay on top of him. He unclasps the garter from her waist and lets it fall to the floor before running his hands up and down her back. 

“You changed my life, Donnatella Moss,” he says and he moves some hair back behind her shoulder, twisting it through his fingers a little. 

“What do you think you’d be doing right now if we hadn’t met that night at the bar?”

“Licking my wounds with a bottle of whiskey and wondering who that hot blonde on Bartlet’s team was,” he says and Donna shakes with laughter on top of him.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“What? I’m serious,” he says. 

“I know you are. Which is why you’re so ridiculous.”

Josh chuckles softly and runs his hands fully through her hair now, letting it run across his fingers like water. She closes her eyes and hums quietly as she rests her head on his chest. Josh shifts a little to grab the blanket at the end of the bed with his foot and pulls it over top of them. 

“I’m glad I never have to find out,” he whispers.

“Me, too.”

He kisses her forehead as she smiles and clasps his hands together on her back, holding her tightly and drifting off to a blissful sleep. 

* * *

They wait with baited breath as the election results trickle in. Oregon will put them over and the polls closed in the west about an hour ago. Josh has planted himself in a chair while Donna sits on the back of it with her arms around his neck. He reaches up and runs his hands down her arms to squeeze her fingers in his. 

“Come on,” he says, mostly to himself, his knee twitching in anticipation. 

CNN pops back to the newscaster and Josh feels Donna freeze behind him as they watch intently. 

“We are now ready to call Oregon for Democratic Nominee Jed Bartlet, which now puts him over the necessary electorate votes needed to win the election for Presidency,” the television blares and the war room erupts. 

Josh jumps up as CJ pops a bottle of champagne and raises it victoriously. “To President-Elect Bartlet!”

“Here, here!” Sam and Josh yell as they laugh giddily with pure joy and relief. 

Josh turns and pulls a smiling Donna from the chair and wraps her up in a tight hug. He laughs when he feels Sam and CJ form a group hug around them and he kisses the side of Donna’s head before pulling back and wrapping an arm around CJ to grab the bottle from her hand. He takes a pull and gives it back to her.

“Claudia Jean, I think I fell in love with you a little bit during that California spin,” he says and she laughs merrily. 

“So did I,” Donna says and CJ kisses them both on the cheek. 

“Don’t tease me with a good time,” she smirks and makes her way over to Leo. 

Donna steps behind Josh as he lets go of Sam and wraps her arms around his waist and props her head on his shoulder. 

“Josh,” she murmurs and he turns in her arms, a wide smile splitting his face. 

“I cannot wait to celebrate with you, Donnatella,” he says, smirking before kissing her deeply. “You’re gonna get my best work tonight.”

Donna tongues her cheek and bumps against him gently. “I have a better idea,” she murmurs and kisses his mouth quickly. “Let’s get married.”

“Yeah, I locked that in months ago, babe. I gave you a ring and everything,” he says, cocking his head in amusement. 

“No, I mean let’s get married _tonight,_ ” she says. 

Josh’s eyes widen. “It’s…,” he looks at his watch, “11pm in New Hampshire where there’s a 3 day waiting period anyway.”

“That’s why we fly to New York in the helicopter I’ve secured for us, where the waiting period can be waived by a judge, whom you can call because your father’s friends owe you big time for getting President-Elect Bartlet elected in the first place.”

Josh searches her face, a smile creeping over his, and shakes his head in disbelief. “Helicopter?”

Donna nods. “Channel 11 News.”

“You’re an evil genius.”

She smiles and nods her head more fervently. “Yes, I am.” 

“What about our parents? Or Sam and your sister? My mom’s told me she’s moved your mother’s phone number to speed dial number 2,” he says. “She means business.”

“They’re meeting us there,” Donna says, leaning into his ear so he can hear her through the noise. “My parents flew in earlier today and we can have a reception later and celebrate with everyone with toasts from Sam and my sister.”

Josh looks at her incredulously. He knows she’s a master planner, but this is crazy even for Donna. “What if we’d lost?” 

“I’d still be asking.”

“We don’t even have rings yet,” he says and she shakes her head. 

Donna pulls the collar of her shirt a little so he can see inside where a silver chain around her neck houses 2 silver bands. 

“Evil genius, remember?”

He pulls her closer and bounces a little on the balls of his feet while a big smile crosses his face. “You’re serious?”

Donna nods. “Let’s get married.”

“When do we leave?”

“As soon as the acceptance speech is done.”

“I gotta make a phone call,” he says and kisses her quickly before dashing off.

* * *

Josh wakes up the next morning as the sun glimmers into the hotel room Donna had, of course, pre-booked for them. He blinks a couple times and stretches before clasping his hands together on Donna’s back. He freezes for a second and lifts his hand up a little. The silver band around his finger makes him smile and he wraps his arms back around her. 

The night before flashes through his mind; meeting the judge and their parents, the short vows that made all of them grow glassy-eyed, the moment Donna slid the ring on his finger, breaking a Bartlet for America glass that Donna had swiped from HQ, and kissing her joyously, man and wife at last, in the fluorescent office at 2 in the morning. Josh feels a wave of pure contentment wash over him. He looks down and sees Donna’s hand on his chest, her matching rings glinting in the sunbeam. He runs his own hand up her arm and to her wrist, brushing his thumb over the diamond, and she stirs. 

“Good morning, wife,” he murmurs.

She smiles sleepily against his chest. “Good morning, husband.”

Josh lets out a happy sound and squeezes her hand. “Say that again.”

Donna lifts her head to look up at him, “Good morning, my powerful and handsome husband,” she says and she kisses his chin.

“I don’t think that’s ever gonna get old,” he says, rolling over her a little so he can kiss her properly. 

Donna hums and melts more into the mattress as his lips kiss down her neck. He fingers the soft cotton of the shirt she’s still wearing and his hand sneaks under it to palm her breast. 

“I can’t believe you brought my shirt,” he mumbles.

“It’s _our_ shirt now, baby doll, and I gotta say, Josh – you were incredibly easy to trick into marrying with no prenup.”

Josh smirks and bites down gently on her shoulder. “I should’ve known there was an ulterior motive to you springing your evil plan on me last minute.”

Donna hums happily as Josh’s hands roam beneath the tattered old Yale Law shirt. She lets him kiss her for a minute, but just as he’s about to lift the shirt up and off of her, she stops him. 

“Honey, we have to go back to Manchester.”

He groans loudly. “Donna, didn’t you factor in some marital bed action in this elaborate scheme of yours?”

She snorts and runs her fingers thru this hair as he attacks her neck. “I gave you an advance last night instead.”

“No. No, no, no,” he argues. “Consummation is one thing, this is another.”

“Josh, you kept me awake until 5 in the morning when I planned on being asleep by at least 4 to wake up at 7 and proceed with the morning marital bed action. However, it is now 8, which means we have to be at JFK in an hour. We don’t have time.”

She pushes him by the shoulders and he falls on his back. “I’m being jipped,” he says, looking up to the ceiling. “This is how it starts, Donna. Next thing you know, we’re the couple who has to schedule sex and before you know it, _weeks_ go by with none at all.”

Donna throws his shirt at him and shakes her head, amused by his dramatics. “Get dressed,” she says and heads into the bathroom and splash some water on her face and brush her teeth. 

Josh gets up to follow her and grabs her hips as she finishes rinsing her mouth out. He puts his chin on her shoulder and makes eye contact with her through the mirror. 

“Have I mentioned how _enchanting_ my wife is?” he murmurs and she rolls her eyes playfully.

“Not in the last few hours, no,” she says and brings her hand back to hook around his neck. 

“My wife is mesmerizing,” he murmurs and he kisses behind her ear as his hands sneak back underneath her shirt. 

Donna sighs and leans back against him as he continues his path up her torso. She watches him in the bathroom mirror and hums when he palms her breasts and flicks over her nipples with his thumbs. 

“Josh, we don’t have time,” she says again and she pulls his arms out of her shirt and wraps them around her stomach instead. 

He grumbles against her neck before looking back up at her in the mirror. He smiles softly after a moment and drops a kiss to her shoulder before grabbing her tooth brush.

“Alright, but I refuse to schedule sex, Donnatella,” he says. “We are still of the spontaneous lovemaking variety.”

“Whatever you say, pumpkin,” she says as she walks back in the room, throws on some pants and Josh’s hoodie, grabs his elbow when he’s done getting dressed, and leads him out of the hotel.

* * *

“Where is that beautiful wife of yours?” President Bartlet asks Josh as they walk into the fifth inaugural ball of the night. 

“I think she’s still conspiring with your beautiful wife, sir,” he replies. 

“Well, that can’t be good.”

“No, sir.” 

“You know, I’m still pretty pissed you let Donna sneak her way behind enemy lines.”

“Believe me, Mr. President, I begged her to come to the west wing. Once the First Lady said ‘Chief of Staff, it was over.”

“Yeah, I’ll be having words with Benedict Arnold for that later.”

Josh snorts and grabs a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. He looks around the room for a moment and turns around when someone calls his name. 

“Funny finding you boys here,” Abbey says, a sly grin on her face as she and Donna make their way into the ballroom. 

“And just where have you two been?” President Bartlet asks. 

Donna puts her hand in Josh’s pants pocket to grab her phone and check if there are any messages as Abbey kisses the President’s cheek and straightens his bow tie. “Somewhere that ran out of champagne. What kind of party are you throwing, Jed?” 

“Well, we can’t have that,” he says and he pulls her hand through the crook of his elbow. He’s about to lead her off to the food tables before he turns around again. “Donnatella, I want you at Senior Staff tomorrow.”

Josh smirks and nudges Donna’s hip with his, but she doesn’t flinch. “I’d be honored, sir, but I have my own staff meeting tomorrow morning.”

“Can’t I order her to be there?” he asks Josh and Abbey rolls her eyes. 

“Unfortunately, Mr. President, I don’t think you can.”

He huffs a little and stands up straight. “What’s the point of being Commander-in-Chief if I can’t _command_ someone to be in my office?” 

“”You’ll get over it,” Abbey says, but the President looks back at Donna. 

“I’m a very persistent man, Donna.”

She smiles. “Yes, sir.”

“I’ll win you over eventually,” he says and he turns back around, leading a smug Dr. Bartlet over to the bar. 

“Just come to Staff tomorrow,” Josh says, pulling out his best pout. “You can be Chief of Staff to the First Lady and still advise the President.”

Donna grabs the champagne out of his hand and downs the rest of it. 

“Yes, I can,” she says. “But not yet. I’m trying to ease into the White House, Josh. I’ve told you; I want my own staff to trust me and I want Abbey to trust me. I can’t be off consorting with the west wing _and_ try to lead Abbey’s agenda right now. They’ll think I’m playing both sides.”

“Abbey does trust you. She wouldn’t have given you the job if she didn’t.”

“Exactly. I want to be good at the job I already have before I add another onto my plate,” Donna says and Josh shrugs his shoulders, letting the topic drop for now. 

He looks at her, then, admiring how the dress she’s wearing makes her ass pop and she catches his sightline. Josh just smirks and Donna lifts her hands to straighten his tie and wipe off imaginary lint from his jacket. 

“Come dance with me.”

He lets her drag him out to the middle of the floor and he wraps an arm around her waist as she places hers around his neck. He pulls her close and leads her in a gentle waltz of sorts as Stevie Nicks croons through the microphone. Donna wraps her arm tighter around him, sighs contentedly, and leans her head against his. 

“You smell good,” she mumbles and Josh grins. 

“My wife bought me some new cologne for Christmas.”

“Well, she has excellent taste.”

“I always thought so.”

Donna hums and inhales deeply before kissing his neck and leaning back to look at him. She runs her hands through the hair at the nape of his neck and he smiles at her affectionately. 

“God, you’re handsome,” she says. 

Josh preens. “I am rather dashing tonight, aren’t I?” 

She licks her lip and leans in closer to him. “You’re spontaneous lovemaking level of handsome,” she murmurs and his eyebrows raise. 

“Why, Donnatella,” he says, his dimples deepening in his cheeks. “Are you propositioning me?”

“I didn’t get to see your office earlier,” she says innocently, moving to trail her fingers over his chest. “I was hoping for a private tour once we got to the White House portion of the balls.”

“You were, huh?” he says, his eyes darkening.

Donna nods and moves closer to his ear. “I didn’t wear any panties in preparation.”

Josh moans quietly and he fists the material on her dress for a second before turning without a word and guiding her out of the ballroom with his hand on her back. 

* * *

Donna giggles as Josh changes course for the third time and walks down a flight of stairs. He has the look of pure determination as he leads her around a corner and lets out a victorious “yes!” as they finally walk into the bullpen. 

“This is Ops,” he says. “Communications is through a few hallways toward the Oval.”

He slows down and grabs Donna’s hand as he swings around and stops in front of his office. “CJ’s down there,” he says, pointing to the opposite end of the hall. “And I’m right here.”

Donna turns her head, walks through the doorway into the barren room, and slips out of her heels. 

“Wow, three doors,” she says, looking around. “Impressive.”

Josh puffs his chest a little and shrugs. “Yeah, I guess.”

She just gives him a look and moves to close the door to her right, turning the lock and walking to the opposite side of the office to lock the second one. Josh steps forward and pushes the third door closed. He watches as Donna walks around the desk and fingers the big chair behind it. 

“Why did you get a better chair than I did?” 

He puts his hands in his pockets and shrugs again. “I know people.”

Donna scoffs and opens the blinds behind her. “I have a better view, at least.”

Josh looks on as the moonlight hits her, making her glow, and he thinks that no, he definitely has the better view right now. Her deep blue dress shimmers softly, reminding him of the time his parents took him to the ocean for the first time, and when she turns back around, he has to swallow a lump of emotion bubbling in his chest. They’ve come so far since that first night and he can’t wait for what’s to come. 

“C’mere,” he murmurs and he takes his hands out of his pockets to beckon her to him. 

She smiles softly as she makes her way back around the desk and into his waiting arms. Josh runs his hands down her sides and around her waist, holding her to him. Donna rubs his upper arms and he starts to sway them gently. 

“You’re incredibly beautiful tonight, Donnatella,” he whispers and leans his forehead against hers. 

She smirks. “Yes, well, being Chief of Staff has opened up an array of designers’ attention. Armani _loves_ Abbey, and she was gracious enough to let me look through her reject pile.”

“Remind me to send her flowers and a thank you card.”

“They’re already being delivered tomorrow,” she says and he just shakes his head. 

“Of course they are.”

Donna runs her hands beneath his suit jacket and caresses his chest for a moment before pushing it off his shoulders. She places it on the back of his visitor’s chair and starts to undo the top buttons on his shirt. 

“Wait,” he says and he grabs her hands in his. 

She looks up at him with a confused look on her face. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” he soothes. “I just…”

He cuts off and a shy smile crosses his face. 

“I just wanna say that I love you a lot,” he says softly and he lifts her hand to kiss the rings on her finger. “And that I know that this is about to get a lot harder. I’m going to get frustrated and tired and cranky and probably full-blown mean when it comes to this damn Congress, but I want you to know that _this_ , that you and I, is so special to me, Donna. Preserving this and working together and loving each other through whatever obstacles we’ll face is my priority, alright? We’re gonna work our asses off for the President, in that I have no doubt. I just need you to know that I’m gonna work my ass off for you, too.”

Donna smiles a little watery at him and squeezes his hand. “You’re awfully sappy tonight, Joshua,” she teases and he rolls his eyes a little, but leans in to kiss her cheek anyway. 

“You’ve made me soft.”

“Nah,” she whispers. “You’re still the loud, obnoxious, stubborn man I fell in love with a long time ago and I can’t wait to see how you change the world. I’m so proud of you and I have no doubt in my mind that you and I will be just fine.”

She leans in and kisses him softly.

“Even when I say stuff I shouldn’t?” he asks and he runs his hands down her back to grab her ass. 

“Yes,” she breathes and she kisses him again. “We’ve gotten pretty good at makeup sex, so I kind of look forward to the arguments now.”

He chuckles against her. “Knowing the First Couple as well as we do, I’m sure there will be many east vs. west battles in the coming years.”

Donna hums and steps backward and reaches back to grab the zipper on her dress. She pulls it down and the silky material falls in a heap at her feet. Josh’s eyes darken when he sees she is wearing absolutely nothing underneath and follows willingly as she pulls him forward until she backs into the desk. She hops up and sits down before grabbing his bow tie, undoing it, and tugging him closer. He helps her divest himself of his shirt and tux trousers and she grabs his face, kissing him deeply until they’re both breathless. 

“I love you a lot too, by the way,” she murmurs.

Josh just smiles and pulls her closer until there isn’t a breath of space between their bodies. 

“As long as you can keep saying that,” he says, kissing her jaw, “then I’ll know I’m doin’ something right.”

“You’re doing something very right,” she whispers and she melts into him a little more. “You still feel so good, Josh. That night we met, right now, tomorrow, ten years from now, it doesn’t matter. I’m gonna hold you a million more times and it’s always going to feel good.”

She wraps her arms around his shoulders and kisses him again before pulling him with her as she lies back on the desk. He looks at her, with pure love in his eyes, and he moves a strand of hair behind her ear. She brushes his cheek with her thumb affectionately before tugging on the back of his knees with her legs and making him gasp with he bumps into her pelvis. 

“Now,” she says, “commence with the spontaneous lovemaking.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s a wrap on part 2!
> 
> I have a part 3 and Epilogue outlined, but I can’t make any promises. I’m sure I’ll catch a wave of inspiration when the HBOMax special comes out next month, but please vote for Biden so I can go back to normal stress levels lol.
> 
> Hope everyone is wearing a mask and staying safe! :)

**Author's Note:**

> This story has completely got away from me, so Part 2 will be multiple chapters. More actual plot/background coming soon ;)


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